News / Hillfields
Residents disrupt cabinet meeting to demand local councillor surgery
Residents of an east Bristol neighbourhood have disrupted a Bristol City Council cabinet meeting to demand a local councillor surgery.
The Hillfields residents, who are also members of the community union ACORN, stood up and interrupted deputy mayor Craig Cheney as he chaired the meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
Addressing their local councillors Cheney and fellow cabinet member Ellie King, they asked why Clifton had a surgery and not Hillfields, and called for the councillors to meet with them as a group.
is needed now More than ever
Cheney responded by saying he is happy to commit to meet with them – but as residents, not representatives of ACORN – while King said a public street surgery was held two weeks ago.
Members of the Hillfields branch of the community union ACORN stormed a cabinet meeting to demand their local councillors, Cheney and Ellie King, hold a surgery – photo: ACORN
One of the protesters was local NHS worker Sarah, who said: “Hillfields residents are tired of being an afterthought in Bristol and we want our elected councillors to show they are listening to us.
“It seems that Ellie King and Craig Cheney are not interested in meeting up with us because we are ACORN members.
“ACORN in Hillfields is not a militant organisation – it exists to help to give us a voice.”
Another of the residents, local mum Becky, added: “Our councillors have refused to meet us for months. We were left with no other choice but to try and meet them at cabinet!
“We’re representing hundreds of local residents who need a local surgery. Bristol City Council – it’s time for you to listen to Hillfields.”
ACORN say that neither Cheney nor King hold a drop-in surgery in Hillfields, which is the only ward in Bristol where both councillors hold cabinet positions.
The Hillfields branch of the community union ACORN was launched in late 2022, and recently stopped the eviction of a local disabled man.
Responding to the group during the meeting, Cheney said: “I will happily meet with you but I will meet with you as individual residents, not as ACORN.”
While King added: “We have been in email contact quite regularly.
“We had a street surgery two weeks ago that was public.
“This isn’t the way to deal with things, this isn’t the way to communicate with us.”
Bristol City Council has been contacted for comment.
Main photo: ACORN
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