Social Network for RSA Fellows

Bristol Network

Information

A temprorary space for attendees of the Bristol Network to continue their discussions....

Location: Bristol - The 3rd Floor, Bush House
Members: 35
Latest Activity: Oct 23, 2012

Bristol Network Should Bristol have an Elected Mayor?

RSA Bristol Network Event February 2012

Should Bristol have an Elected Mayor?

Wednesday 22 February 2012, 6.30pm

Bristol City Council House, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR

Bristolians will be asked to vote for or against the idea of a directly elected Mayor in May 2012, in a local referendum proposed in the Government’s Localism Bill. Replacing the present Councillors plus Cabinet system in the City Council with a directly elected Mayor would represent the biggest upheaval to local democracy since the dissolution of Avon County Council.

This is a free-access public debate organised by members of the RSA Bristol Network with the participation of the Bristol Festival of Ideas, Bristol University’s Centre for Public Engagement and the Bristol branch of the Institute of Directors.

The debate will be chaired by broadcaster Chris Serle and an impartial review of the issues facing mayoral referendum will be presented by Professor Alex Marsh head of Bristol University’s School for Policy Studies, before the motion in favour of a directly elected Mayor for Bristol is debated by political and non-party speakers, with electronic votes taken before and after the debate and questions from the floor.

Booking details and cost for event: Free, but to book visit http://bristolmayordebate.eventbrite.co.uk

Discussion Forum

Shall we run a newsletter fro RSA Fellows and others in our network? 5 Replies

there are some issues to consider here: circulation, editorship, etc. but an online bulletin might help pull together key events that we want to post, meeting dates, project updates, good news etc.,…Continue

Started by Ted Fowler. Last reply by Joss Green-Armytage Jan 23, 2012.

Public debate: Should Bristol have an Elected Mayor?

RSA Bristol Network Event February 2012 Wednesday 22 February 2012, 6.30pmBristol City Council House, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR Bristolians will be asked to vote for or against the idea of a…Continue

Started by Toby Procter Jan 17, 2012.

Using research to benefit your business

Do you have problems or costs accessing research papers that are (or could be) vital for your business or is it easy?If so, I'd be interested to hear from you. I'm doing some research for JISC on the…Continue

Started by Dick Willis May 26, 2011.

Bristol directly elected mayor debate project 1 Reply

Phil Winterton and I have met and discussed this project, with general agreement between us on the parameters of the debate(s) that could be held, and the actors who could usefully be involved -…Continue

Started by Toby Procter. Last reply by Toby Procter May 5, 2011.

View All

Comment Wall

Add a Comment

You need to be a member of Bristol Network to add comments!

Comment by Toby Procter on January 20, 2011 at 10:56: Here are notes of what was discussed and what action agreed at the RSA Bristol Network meeting of 18 January, with added reference to Simon's suggestion on this page of a discussion group dedicated to local finance following the meeting.

18.01.2011%20mtg%20memo.doc

Comment by Simon Roberts on January 19, 2011 at 15:02: Will do - and I'll set up a discussion forum on the finance/money piece ('Financing Bristol's future'?) once there are a few more of us signed up!

Comment by Ted Fowler on January 19, 2011 at 14:59: thats the intention: looks liike Simon will help kick off the finance one, Toby will facilitate the Mayor Debate, Sue the Commnuity connectivity and I'll have a go at Learning for Place making or somthing like that!

i think all such 'cafe's need to build into their agendas a mapping approach to see what is happening what is worth supporting and what worth initiating.

Comment by Simon Roberts on January 19, 2011 at 14:41: The local finance/money piece that was touched on briefly last night hits a lot of buttons for me in terms of what I think the RSA could be helping to catalyse in Bristol. There's been a fair amount of talk about munipal bonds and the like in recent years but very little work to (a) define the purpose (b) work out what's already known/understood (c) consider the realistic possibilities for Bristol in terms of scale and investment 'appetite' (d) understand the mechanics and regulatory implications, and (e) build the coalition of the interested and the able.

I'd be happy to 'host' a cafe session on this at Grounded on Bedminster Parade (because it's right across the road from my office) one early evening at some point in next month if I could get a sense there was sufficient interest. Comment away fellow Bristol fellows

Comment by Chris Luffingham on January 19, 2011 at 14:30: Hi Toby,

Following on from last night and taking your point below - might it be worth setting up individual discussion groups for the different areas that we raised? It will probably help in the management of the individual threads so they dont get buried...

Comment by Ted Fowler on January 19, 2011 at 14:12: thanks for setting this up Chris, I'm checking some of Toby's action points from last night - it was a great session from where I was sitting: apparantly all except 3 Fellows contributed within the main session.

People may have noted that RSA are supporting the piloting a different kind of financial instrument in Peterborough, I think that what we were talking about can build on this as one of a a few possible delivery models once we get some real local cash/capacity behind this! I'll be in touch with people on this and place making soon.

Comment by RSA Networks on January 19, 2011 at 14:02: A temporary solution to our online needs.

Perhaps there is a Fellow who would be willing to help us out with a more permanent solution that will provide us with the functionality we need?!