Social Network for RSA Fellows

Bristol Network

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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.

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Comment by Toby Procter on May 3, 2011 at 10:18: I can get to the Arnolfini bar at 6.30 on 4th May, and would like to report briefly on progress achieved on the directly elected mayor debate project, & discuss Catalyst funding that might be useful for it. But besides the next Fellows meeting which should obviously take precedence in Wednesday's discussion, I'd like to propose that it is put to the vote that we have a m ore formal, democratic Bristol committee, picking up on Ted's similar view. And that those who wish to/are prepared to stand for election thereto and get voted in on a show of hands at this next Knowle W Media Centre meeting. This would only be democratic if announced plenty in advance of the next meeting by a formal meeting agenda sent by Chris to all RSAs in the area, including the main event and this and other housekeeping matters. All Fellows in the Bristol area should be able to put themselves forward if they wish & have 2-3 weeks to decide if they should want to.

That's what I think, anyway!

Comment by Sue Cohen on May 2, 2011 at 22:08: Hi All

Still planning to meet on the 4th May at 6.30 at Arnolfini unless Chris can book us into the RSA at the same time. Chris can you get back to us on this by tomorrow night Tuesday? We can discuss speakers on Weds - we have had a number of good suggestions - will be good to get a broad spectrum. Plan is still that the next RSA meeting will be at Knowle West Media Centre.

Can those who are coming on Weds to the Arnolfini post here so we know who we are meeting up with.

Thanks Sue

Comment by Ted Fowler on May 2, 2011 at 17:58: sorry I menat to add this link:

http://connectingbristol.org/wp-content/uploads/final_bid/Connectin...

its a couple of years old (referring to a competition that was not won - although that in itself was a brain child of Matthew Taylors - small world eh?!). The vision that sits within this poster is still important for those that followed up, inclduing Carolyn and Stephen, and the many people who have supported connecting Bristol over recent years

Comment by Ted Fowler on May 2, 2011 at 17:52: on the "Connected Communities through digital inclusion" front I would suggest that we consider inviting (amongst others) my colleagues:

Stephen Hilton - /www.connectingbristol.org

and possibly Di Robinson - who has overall responsibility for Neighbourhoods in Bristol or Graham Sims - her gov, the acting dep chief exec

They have all attended or shown interest in our sessions before, it can only help to ensure public servants are (and are seen to be) out of their shell-zone!

whaddya fink?

Comment by Ted Fowler on May 2, 2011 at 17:41: I can make the 4th if advised the session is on - who decides that?!?!?

I have to agree that we need to be more structured: its more than double the effort to not have any process, and its confusing for us and for Chris.

Lack of structure also leads to lack of accountability, which in turn always engenders a sense of gatekeepers/elite club,/those in the loop and those out of it etc. I wrote about the 'tyranny of structurelessness' at the Xmas/new year period.

I met Chris and Matthew Taylor recently, a couple of days before our network meeting and wanted to ask what was the problem with committees, instead we had a brief but interesting conversation that reflects my already stated interests. Matthew blogged the chat and I hope that Bristol colleagues might be interested in taking this forward:

http://www.matthewtaylorsblog.com/thersa/ship-shape-and-bristol-fas...

On the organisation front - so long as we are prepared to delineate its purpose a 'committee approach' to keeping the steering group going is a reasonable expectation: a functional zone/purpose and delineation of certain key roles (which can be rotated) and a reliable communication approach is the time and energy effective way to go about this. We can be as engaging and as creative as people are prepared to put their effort behind ...so to speak!

Ted

Comment by Sue Cohen on April 28, 2011 at 22:40: Agree that Bush House a better venue. Chris is there any chance of arranging this for the 4th March?

Comment by Toby Procter on April 28, 2011 at 10:25

Comment by Toby Procter on April 28, 2011 at 10:25: Thanks, Sue. Seems clear we need more formal communications, hence more formal organisation, for the steering group. Sorry to hear about Katie's ankle. 6.30 at Arnolfini bar on 4th May is do-able for me, but I think bar is not ideal for accommodating numbers of local FRSAs who may wish to join in planning the next event, or recording what's decided. Repairing to bar to celebrate anything achieved is another thing! But we clearly can't use RSA space in Bush House unless Chris is there, or someone willing to let us in.

Also

Comment by Sue Cohen on April 27, 2011 at 22:52: Much confusion. I wasn't expecting to meet at Bush House. I turned up at the Arnolfini at 6 and no-one there. Was expecting to meet Katie but she has sprained her ankle.

Can we use this wall to sort out. Let's meet a week today, Weds 4th May at the Arnolfini bar at 6.30 to plan the next Bristol meeting - Connected Communities through digital inclusion. Katie will be contacting Knowle West Media Centre where we plan to hold the full meeting at the end of May/beginning of June. If the media centre is not available then we will hold it at either the Watershed or at Bush House. We have a number of suggested speakers.

Also for discussion for future meetings are: John Pontin's idea for a Cafe Society event at Bordeaux Quay with Buzz Bnk presentations; the M32 corridor walk.

Let's keep posting on this site in the meantime.

Comment by Toby Procter on April 27, 2011 at 18:26: What the...? I turned up about 10 mins late to find no-one at Bush Hse but three others having arrived and left before me - including Simon and Annie . Very sorry to have mentioned on these pages what I'd heard via email just after the last public meeting, i.e. that there was to be a steering group meeting on 27.04 at 6.30. Why did this date change? Why no advice thereon on this site? What's the alternative date, if any?