When authorities make plans that affect people’s lives, what do they often get wrong – and how can they do better at working with communities?
These are pertinent questions in Bristol just now, where a trial scheme to close off a series of roads across St George, Redfield and Barton Hill has got many residents up in arms.
The Cable has been reporting on the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood project for a couple of years now, hearing from people on the ground who are both for and against it.
This week Neil Maggs sits down with Samira Musse – the director of Barton Hill Activity Project, a prominent local community activist and opponent of the liveable neighbourhood scheme – to understand more about what’s gone wrong with the council’s consultation efforts.
Why are some sections of the local community still so upset? How could things be made to work better for all parties in east Bristol?
And importantly, based on Samira’s experience working with many different public bodies, what can those in power do more generally to ensure people get a real stake in decision-making, rather than feeling ‘done to’?
On the subject of communities being short-changed, we also get into the subject of youth services, which have been decimated in the last decade.
What effect have these cuts have had on inner-city communities in the (good few) years since Neil started working in youth services? Why can projects like Samira’s have such an important impact on kids’ lives? And with inequality of opportunity, child exploitation and violence huge concerns right now, what should the Labour government be doing to set things right for young people after years of neglect by the state?
Join us for another essential hour of Bristol Unpacked, getting deep into the issues that matter in our city.
Subscribe to The Bristol Cable on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your audio. And check out our other shows.
Independent. Investigative. Indispensable.
Investigative journalism strengthens democracy – it’s a necessity, not a luxury.
The Cable is Bristol’s independent, investigative newsroom. Owned and steered by more than 2,500 members, we produce award-winning journalism that digs deep into what’s happening in Bristol.
We are on a mission to become sustainable, and to do that we need more members. Will you help us get there?
Join the Cable todayKeep the Lights On
Investigative journalism strengthens democracy – it’s a necessity, not a luxury.
The Cable is Bristol’s independent, investigative newsroom. Owned and steered by more than 2,600 members, we produce award-winning journalism that digs deep into what’s happening in Bristol.
We are on a mission to become sustainable – will you help us get there?
Comments
Related content
‘I can do action’: cafe owner who organised tower block evacuation response aiming to be councillor
When she heard Barton House was being evacuated in November, Cafe Conscious owner Deniece Dixon got to work helping families who had become homeless. Two months on, she explains why she’s set her sights on City Hall
Barton House evacuation: Was the chaos and confusion completely unnecessary?
With a lack of clear information from the council, rumours and speculation ruled as residents decanted from their homes were left in the dark about what was going on. Campaigners say the authorities could have planned this better.
Exclusive: Council denies structural issues identified four years ago are root cause of tower block evacuation
Bristol City Council says 'new and intrusive' surveys raised questions over whether it could rely on its own records about Barton House, whose residents have been left temporarily homeless after the building was deemed unsafe.
