Investigations

Investigations

Transparency matters: why is Bristol City Council failing on freedom of information?

Cable research shows that Bristol is worse than many other major cities at handling citizens’ FOI requests. Why is this a problem – and will the end of the mayoral system next year bring more open local government in the city?

‘A Pandora’s box’? What impact will Fishponds’ big new developments have, and who stands to profit?

Inside Avon and Somerset Police’s new ‘whole story approach’ to catching rapists 

Investigations

‘Hollow victory’: a rape survivor’s journey through a broken criminal justice system  

More women are reporting rape to the police but prosecutions are at an all-time low. As a new approach to investigating sexual crimes is piloted in Bristol, the Cable follows the story of one woman from reporting to the police to her attacker standing trial.

Life in Lansdowne

Revealed: Catalogue of police failings before Shannon Beirne fell to her death

Investigations

Revealed: Carpentry firm that switched names and pocketed deposits now under investigation

‘Crisis’ extends housing misery for Lockleaze buyers, as L&G admits mould issues on sister scheme

Modular homes at Legal & General's Bonnington development will be taken off their foundations, leaving buyers waiting up to a year, while serious mould problems had to be fixed at another scheme in Yorkshire, the Cable can reveal.

After the fall: a death at Lansdowne Court

A vulnerable woman falls to her death from a tower block. Her partner is present. In this special Cable investigation, we try to find out what happened to Shannon Beirne.

Rogue landlord yacht owner turns to Airbnb after fleecing tenants’ of their deposits

Thomas Flight, whose Miss Conduct yacht sits in Bristol Harbour, has been convicted of a series of offences against his previous tenants but his properties are now on the short-term let market.

Revealed: ‘Miss Conduct’ yacht owner is rogue landlord who spun ‘web of deceit’ to mislead tenants

Thomas Flight hid behind aliases and fake addresses, and deployed aggressive ‘agents’ to deny people living in his St Paul's flats their rights as tenants.

Revealed: Serious incidents ongoing at controversial south Bristol flats, despite council review

Minutes obtained by the Cable show ongoing problems at Imperial Apartments in Hengrove, with concerns being raised over tenants' mental ill-health, energy costs, the 'unwelcoming' environment and the behaviour of security staff.

Bristol council was warned of polystyrene cladding dangers long before tower block blaze, so why didn’t it act sooner?

The Cable quizzes Bristol City Council's housing chief on the ‘urgent’ rollout of new high-rise fire safety measures, how much it’s all going to cost, and why the authority didn’t act faster.