South Glos Children Send Hope Messages to Shielding Residents

27 Apr 2020

Children in Staple Hill and Mangotsfield in South Gloucestershire have made pictures and messages for residents who are shielding. The initiative is a development of a volunteer programme organised by Staple Hill and Mangotsfield councillors, Katie Cooper, Ian Boulton and Michael Bell, and Clive Heath of the Mangotsfield Residents Association,…

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How a Labour Councillor set up a Covid 19 Support Group

22 Apr 2020

As the narrative began to turn from ‘herd immunity’ and ‘low risk’ to this ‘might be something major after all and we’re not ready’, my thoughts turned to the residents of Kingswood, our large amount of elderly and low waged/vulnerable residents, how badly this pandemic could potentially impact them, and…

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South Glos Labour Group welcomes Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner as new Labour Party Leader and Deputy Leader

06 Apr 2020

The South Gloucestershire Labour Group welcomes Sir Keir Starmer, as the newly elected Labour Party Leader, and Angela Rayner, as the Deputy Leader, following their successful leadership campaigns. Labour Group Leader, Cllr Pat Rooney, said; “Once we have worked through the awful pandemic which is hurting our communities so badly,…

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Letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from Councillor Katie Cooper

01 Apr 2020

Letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, copying in local MPs. I am writing to you to highlight a problem with Universal Credit that has come to my attention due to the Corona Virus. I am a local Councillor who has been working hard to support my…

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Message from Councillor Pat Rooney

30 Mar 2020

Hi All, I hope you are mindful to look after yourselves and families by staying safe, staying in doors and preventing the spread of the virus. I am proud that we as a Labour Group are helping and supporting our residents as best we can by joining community groups where…

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Clap for our Carers – every Thursday at 8 pm

30 Mar 2020

Every Thursday at 8 pm we will say thank you to all those taking care of us – Health and Social Care workers, cleaners, refuse collectors, supermarket staff and delivery drivers, postal workers, teachers and teaching assistants, nursery workers – in fact anyone who is currently keeping our society going.…

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Coronavirus

30 Mar 2020

South Gloucestershire Council has lots of useful information for residents on their website including information about health and wellbeing, education, information for carers and residents, services for businesses and employers, and service disruption – just click on the following link: https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/health-services/covid19/ The South Glos Council website also includes a page listing…

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Whatever Happened to Democracy and Accountability at South Gloucestershire Council?

07 Mar 2020

PRESS RELEASE The Labour Group at South Gloucestershire Council have accused the Leader of the Council, Toby Savage of trampling over local democracy with his cancellation of yet another Full Council meeting on 18th March. Labour group leader Pat Rooney said: “The Leader of the Council has cancelled yet another…

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Labour Budget Amendment to save Pod in the Park voted down by Tory Administration

26 Feb 2020

PRESS RELEASE As part of our amendments to the South Gloucestershire Council Budget for the forthcoming year the Labour group of councillors proposed a Budget amendment which included funding of £40,000 to allow the Pod in the Park in Filton to reopen for 1 year. Filton councillor Adam Monk said:…

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Labour Group at South Gloucestershire Council accuses Tory Administration of Failing Residents

12 Feb 2020

PRESS RELEASE The Labour Group at South Gloucestershire Council has accused the ruling Conservative administration of failing residents in three key areas: Schools, Metrobus, and the Joint Spatial Plan. Pat Rooney, Leader of the Labour Group said: “The Conservatives have been in control of South Glos for the past 10…

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South Glos Council cannot achieve the Government’s per Pupil Minimum for Schools in the Area

03 Feb 2020

PRESS RELEASE The ruling Conservatives on South Glos Council have admitted that the Government’s funding per pupil cannot technically be achieved, and they are seeking approval from the Secretary of State before they can approve their Schools budget. The new Conservative Government pledged that pupil funding will reach £5000 a…

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Staple Hill and Mangotsfield councillors celebrate new Bus Shelter!

16 Dec 2019

PRESS RELEASE Councillors Michael Bell, Ian Boulton and Katie Cooper are today celebrating the installation of a long-awaited bus shelter in Mangotsfield Road. Councillor Michael Bell said “After my many requests to South Gloucester Council for a bus shelter in Mangotsfield Road to serve the Y5 Bus into Bristol Bus…

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South Glos Labour Councillors react to General Election Results

13 Dec 2019

PRESS RELEASE Labour Councillors on South Gloucestershire Council are very disappointed by the results of the General Election, which now means we have a majority Conservative Government for the next 5 years, presenting a huge danger to our already fragile public services, and the lives of our constituents who rely…

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MP refuses School’s request to remove Photo from his Election Leaflet

02 Dec 2019

PRESS RELEASE In his election leaflet Jack Lopresti, MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke is pictured standing in the grounds of Christchurch Junior School. On 16th November the School tweeted Mr Lopresti to say “I am politely requesting that you remove @CCJDownend picture from your leaflet campaign. We cannot and…

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Labour questions new jobs to support the Cabinet

24 May 2019

South Gloucestershire’s Labour Group Leader is raising questions about the creation of three new jobs to support the district’s Conservative Cabinet. At the Council’s Annual Meeting held this week, the ruling Conservatives agreed to appoint three of their number to support the executive Cabinet, and these may end up receiving…

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Labour Group’s new team

08 May 2019

Labour’s councillors on South Gloucestershire Council have been appointed to specific roles following last week’s local election. Almost half of the group is new, and now contains a majority of women members for the first time. The post holders are: Leader Councillor Pat Rooney Deputy Leader and Lead on the Scrutiny…

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South Gloucestershire Council Labour candidates

17 Apr 2019

Here is the list of every Labour candidate standing in the South Gloucestershire Council election on Thursday 2nd May 2019. To check which ward you live in, enter your postcode on this website – https://www.yourvotematters.co.uk

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Correcting fake history

07 Mar 2019

The Conservative Council Leader has lately been referencing a so-called “Labour-Lib Dem Coalition” that allegedly ran South Gloucestershire sometime. No such Coalition ever existed. Labour Group Leader Councillor Pat Rooney made this speech to Cabinet this afternoon which clearly spells out why this is a fantasy. “I have heard the…

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Council Leadership “rubbishing their Tory predecessors”

14 Feb 2019

A former Chair of South Gloucestershire Council says that the authority’s current Conservative leadership is publicly rubbishing their party predecessors. Councillor Ian Boulton, who was Chair in 2013/14, has made the comments after a Council meeting in which the ruling Tories repeatedly criticised the failings of previous administrations. Councillor Boulton…

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Cabinet chooses not to address budget chasm

05 Feb 2019

South Gloucestershire’s Conservative Cabinet has backed away from taking a major step to deal with a deficit in the budget for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). In a recent public consultation exercise the Tory-run council expressed its preference to move £3 million from the budget for mainstream…

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School crisis “naïve” comment criticised

13 Dec 2018

South Gloucestershire’s Conservative leader is being criticised for branding those who believe a recent BBC2 documentary exposing school pressures as “naïve”. The six-part School series was filmed over a year in three South Gloucestershire schools and has raised a national debate about the stresses that state schools face. At yesterday’s…

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