On an ultra-low turn out of just 27.92% Bristolians overwealmingly shruged thier shoulders over the Tories much hyped Mayoral elections.  The red-trousered George Ferguson got around 31% of the vote, which given the low turn-out means that only 8.6% of the city activly choose him to be thier leader.  Bristol (via Avon and Somerset) also saw Police Commisioner elections, which saw independent Sue Mountstevens elected.  The elections were bad news for the ConDem coalition who were happed by the few electorate who bothered to turn up. The Tories came 3rd and the LibDems 4th with 9% and 6.8% of the vote respectivly.

Related Links: FBWL 28 - Bristol Mayor comiseration Edition | BCC Election Site | Woman winner! (Vowles the Green) | By-Election Watch (Ian Bone's Blog) | EDL's Kevin Carroll suffers massive defeat at PCC polls (EDLnews) |

PCS vs Cuts

Following two months of rolling strikes across the Department for Transport, the union's 8,500 DfT members will be joined by 3,500 from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the walkout.

Among the issues under dispute in the DfT are plans to close almost half of the UK's coastguard stations; the closure of all 39 of the DVLA's local offices and 10 enforcement centres; and cuts and the threat of privatisation in the Driving Standards Agency.

There are similar concerns over job cuts and privatisation in Defra. And all of this comes on top of a pay freeze and the looming threat of the imposition of local or regional pay, which would drive living standards down even further.

DfT members will be on strike all day and Defra members will walk out for three hours from 1.30pm.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Despite all the evidence pointing to the fact that austerity isn't working, this government is ploughing ahead with unnecessary and damaging cuts that will deprive our communities of vital public services."

Links: Bristolians Vote for Strike | Union Statement | 

At 5am on 19th April bailiffs and police numbering over 60 evicted the residents of the Wilderness Centre. The barricades were up but no one had been up the tree houses for the night. The residents were given time to remove what possessions were left and the whole thing was over by 9am. The eviction was characterised by the huge police presence out numbering the occupiers by about 5 to 1, the police having prevented a breach of the peace continued to assist the bailiffs by carrying wood, boards and enjoying the beautifully spring morning laughing joking while the evil squatters retreated to their tents in the forest. The site now has 24 hours security with attack dogs.

Protect the wilderness will continue to campaign against the massive corruption and land grabs in the forest of dean and further afield. The achievements of the group will not be forgotten, the beauty and peace contained in the experiences of all who have been there will live on, in the past, now and in the future. The fight continues, resistance is fertile.

Following the The appeal of the Peasants (see http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/708316 )...We simple peasants not allowed into our own appeal hearing, in Bristol Court Court....No right no appeal, even though they took our £100 pound -for an appeal. Even the "named individuals" who the police said were allowed in, were left outside as none of them had their ID.

Youtube clip | Demotix news report

Help us get this news out there, lets highlight what went on, show Bristol Court, and Gloucestershire County Council to be the "diverse evill Councellors, Judges" that they are.

THE VERSION OF THE LETTER THAT BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL, THE EVENING POST, THE BBC AND ITV DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE ...

As was reported by ALL the media, Bristol City Council published a press statement on Monday 20 February announcing that the judicial review of the the council’s decision to split Town Green land at Ashton Vale had been halted and that as a result there were now no obstacles to Bristol City FC's stadium being built.

The press statement is here http://www.bristol.gov.uk/node/10557 and it is alleged that Cllr Simon Cook ignored officer advice when making this statement. Officers, of course, are there to speak truth to power but it seems that the Deputy Leader of the council didn't want to listen to any legal advice.

Later on the same day the council provided a redacted copy of the letter from the anonymous applicant, identified as SDR, which is available here: http://www.bristol247.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Letter-to-Admin-Court-Office.pdf
 
However, the letter is unlawful and the reason becomes clear when you are able to read a relatively uncut copy of the same letter which is posted with this article.