The by-election in Southmead on Thursday 8th September 2011 saw Labour’s Brenda Massey returned as a second Labour councillor for the ward. This was a Labour gain from the Lib Dems who were beaten into third place. Labour fought the campaign on protecting green spaces locally from a Lib Dem plan to sell them off, fighting Lib Dem plans to “privatise” the Youth Service leaving the future of the Ranch adventure playground and the Youth Centre in considerable doubt and on the issue of Homecare where the ruling Lib Dems are transferring all the staff to private sector suppliers of homecare. Brenda joins long-serving Labour councillor Jenny Smith as Labour”s team for Southmead.
A lot of good people live in Southmead – people who are keen to improve the area where they live and active in the community to make that difference.
Pen Park Sports area is a good example where there is a great deal of local support and at the Greenway centre too.
Labour has invested in the Ranch Adventure Playground on several occasions and fought against funding cuts not so long ago. The new Sure Start Children’s Centre in Doncaster Road has been a great help and support to many new families – Sure Start funding is under threat.
Teenagers from Southmead go to either Henbury or Orchard School – both entirely rebuilt thanks to investment from the last Labour government. This makes a great deal of difference to the learning environment and both schools are improving schools.