News from Bristol East

I am pleased that my campaign to reduce the usage of single-use plastics has been covered in the Bristol Post. We are destroying our precious planet, and the Government needs to step up its efforts on this. My 4 recommendations on what the Government should do are: 1. Put pressure on the big coffee shop chains to switch to a recyclable cup. The plastic lining used in most disposable hot drink cups cannot be separated from the paper, making them difficult to recycle. In the UK, 99.75 per cent of all coffee cups go to landfill or are incinerated.

Bristol Airport Consultation has now opened, and encourages members of the public to submit their views.

Please complete this short survey here: https://goo.gl/forms/ONHJwrDsnIQVbVx83

This is a wonderful initiative which gives prospective carers the chance to quiz the fostering team and a current foster carer, while also showcasing the real-life stories of those in care and those caring. The roadshow also coincides with The Fostering Network’s Foster Care Fortnight, established to raise awareness about the passion and dedication of foster carers, while also encouraging more people to consider fostering.

Some Bristol mosques have received hateful letters, which are causing deep concern. Superintendent Andy Bennett, the policing commander for Bristol, has written an open letter to Muslim communities, reassuring them that the police take such incidents very seriously and will be deploying staff to mosques to provide visible reassurance to those who may understandably feel vulnerable at this time. Please share with those who are concerned, to help reassure them that hate will not be tolerated in our city and steps are being taken to ensure their safety.

Last Friday I took part in an event at the Exchange, bringing together music venues from across the city. The event was organised and chaired by Thangam Debbonaire MP for Bristol West, and I was joined on the panel by Annie McGann from Savebristolnightlife, Mark Davyd from the Music Venue Trust, Paul Gray and Dave Webster from the Musicians Union, and Tom Kiehl from UK Music. We had a wide ranging discussion about issues affecting music venues in Bristol, including licensing problems, business rates rises, changing patterns of alcohol consumption and minimum pricing, and a lack of engagement with housing developers. We heard about progress being made in parliament, with John Spellar bring forward his “Agent of Change” private members’ bill and talks with Ministers about including this principle in the National Planning Policy Framework. We were also told about Bristol City Council’s work on the night-time economy and how we can ensure grassroots music venues have a voice. Live mu

Huge credit to Bristol's Boston Tea Party Cafés, that will be the first coffee chain in the UK to enforce a complete ban all single use coffee cups later this year. Its owner Sam Roberts, said: "We dream of a future where our children marvel at the fact that pre-2018 we would regularly use a cup once and throw it away". ??

Childhood obesity is a major problem, with one in three children overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school. Doctors are now urging ministers to ban fast food outlets from opening within 400 metres of schools. This is already Bristol City Council policy and would be a step in the right direction in reducing the amount of fast food consumed by children on their way to or from school, and during their lunch breaks. But it does not go far enough. Other councils have introduced an 800 metre ban - which would have stopped the proposed McDonalds on Fishponds Road - and I believe we should be looking to do the same.

Bristol City Council is currently running a consultation on Sex Establishments (which includes sex shops, sexual entertainment venues, hostess bars, and the like) - I would very much encourage you to take part. Back in 2012, the Council adopted legislation which gave it the ability to control and regulate Sex Establishments, and the policy that was developed as a result is now being reviewed. Make your views known here by 31 May 2018:https://bristol.citizenspace.com/…/sex-establishment-polic…/.