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Debate to be held in Knowle ahead of ‘high stakes’ local elections
An election debate in Knowle will offer residents the opportunity to find out more about their prospective candidates before the local elections in May.
Organised by a group of locals, the debate will feature prospective candidates who will be quizzed on key issues of the day and their vision for Knowle.
Candidates attending include Anna Fry and Zac Barker from the Lib Dems, Chris Orlik from Bristol Labour Group, Toby Wells and Cam Hayward from Bristol Green Party, and Gary Hopkins from Knowle Community Party.
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Residents will be able to submit their questions beforehand, and an independent moderator, Tony Watkins, will moderate the debate.
Organisers are encouraging residents to submit questions even if they cannot attend, in which case they will be able to listen back to the debate on Youtube.
Laura Chapman, who is one of the residents helping to organise the event, said it was a great opportunity for “the public to express what they think”.
“We want the questions of the debate to come from the community,” she said. “We really want this to be a legitimate exploration of the differences between each candidate.”
Organisers are particularly encouraging those who have not decided who they are voting for yet to attend.
A number of issues have dominated Knowle in recent years, including plans for the Broadwalk shopping centre development, Redcatch Park mobile phone mast, and most recently, the deaths of two teenage boys.
“The Broadwalk issue has really shone a light on how important it is to have councillors who will listen, and who will back you and who will be truly democratic in that way,” said Laura.
“By adopting the general election format, we hope this will raise the profile of local politics.
“In Knowle, there are so many community groups doing amazing things to protect our community, and that’s wonderful, but it raises the question of: ‘How did it get to that stage in the first place? Could we have councillors who can intervene before the community needs to step in?’”
There has been a rise in Green Party support in Knowle, while independent councillors Gary Hopkins and Chris Davies, who left the Lib Dem Party two years ago, recently received legal backing for their new party, Knowle Community Party.
Leaflets have popped up around Knowle in recent weeks with the words “Knowle deserves better councillors”.
The leaflets, which are a play on Broadwalk shopping centre campaign posters with the words “Knowle deserves better”, are part of a separate campaign to push for better political representation for the area.
A spokesperson for the debate said: “Knowle has experienced some difficult times over the last four years and the organisers of this event believe that as a community it will require the support of councillors who’ll fight for what residents need, to ensure Knowle is able to stand up for and be counted at City Hall.
“With high stakes and so many candidates, there has never been a more important election for Knowle.”
The debate will take place on Wednesday, April 3 from 7pm to 9pm at the Park Centre in Knowle, and will be livestreamed on Youtube.
Residents can submit their questions to KnowleElection@gmail.com.
Main photo: Helen Evans-Morris X
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