Best Bristol City Council Podcasts (2024)

1
Bristol Unpacked Election Special - Emma Edwards // Green Party 1:14:28

4M ago1:14:28

1:14:28

Emma Edwards is the leader of Bristol Green Party who could well be in charge of the council for the first time after May's local elections. She chats to Neil about the Green's vision for doing politics in a more transparent and collaborative way, how they'd sort out our public transport, and whether they're ready to make the tricky transition from…

1
Bristol Unpacked Election Special - Mark Weston // Conservative 1:08:54

4M ago1:08:54

1:08:54

Neil Maggs sits down with Mark Weston, who was first elected as a councillor nearly 20 years ago, and has led the local Tory party for a decade. On the eve of the local elections, they discuss the Tories miserable national polling, the so-called 'war on motorists' being waged by Bristol City Council, and the cultural divides between Bristol's inner…

1
Bristol Unpacked Election Special - Jos Clark // Liberal Democrats 1:09:03

4M ago1:09:03

1:09:03

Jos Clark is an experienced local councillor now leading the Lib Dems into Bristol's local elections. A party that used to have strong support in the city has seen its seats dwindle over the last decade. The critic of Marvin Rees and the mayoral system, who helped manoeuvre the referendum on introducing the new committee system, talks to Neil Maggs…

1
Bristol Unpacked Election Special - Tom Renhard // Labour 1:05:32

4M ago1:05:32

1:05:32

Just three years after being first elected as a councillor, Labour's Tom Renhard is now leading the party into May's local elections. Neil Maggs asks him about his record as the city's housing chief, why he thinks the Greens aren't up to the task of being in power and Labour's plans for building new homes, campaigning for rent controls and bringing…

1
Salma Najjar on experiencing the Gaza war as a Palestinian in the UK 1:01:35

6M ago1:01:35

1:01:35

Salma, a lawyer who spent her childhood in Gaza, shares the 'dystopian' experience of life under occupation and knowing your family are in a war zone, as well as discussing happier memories and pro-Palestinian activism in the UK. Content warning: contains graphic descriptions of war and violence Salma Hajjar is a young trainee solicitor who spent h…

1
Ruth Pitter on the role of the charity sector, pioneering Black theatre and her recent MBE 1:00:35

7M ago1:00:35

1:00:35

Neil chats to Ruth, a daughter of the Windrush generation, on her decades of work with Bristol's voluntary and community groups, how that's changed as public services have been cut – and whether she feels conflicted about receiving an honour associated with empire Ruth Pitter has been a stalwart of Bristol’s voluntary sector for decades – and in Ja…

1
BBC journalist Lucy Proctor on mad cows, Covid and conspiracy theories 1:01:40

8M ago1:01:40

1:01:40

Bristol Unpacked with BBC journalist Lucy Proctor on mad cows, Covid and conspiracy theories Thirty years ago, BSE was spreading across the UK while the government insisted beef was safe. Neil asks Lucy, producer of The Cows are Mad podcast, about the scandal – and how conspiracy theories have thrived as trust in the establishment has nosedived. Ov…

1
Watershed CEO Clare Reddington on cinema, class and council cuts 55:04

8M ago55:04

55:04

Listen: Bristol Unpacked with Watershed CEO Clare Reddington on cinema, class and council cuts As Bristol City Council slashes spending on venues including arthouse cinema Watershed, Neil asks its boss Clare why funding the arts matters, and whether the sector's reputation as catering mainly to the well-heeled is justified. Over the past year Clare…

1
ACORN's Wesley Bear on the Barton House evacuation and housing activism in the city 51:46

8M ago51:46

51:46

In the last few months, Wesley Bear has been at the forefront of actions by ACORN. That's the community union known nationally for taking direct action to stand up for tenants' rights, which originated in Bristol almost a decade ago. On 17 November Wesley, ACORN's communications officer, was involved in an altercation with security guards at the Ho…

1
Filmmaker Aodh Breathnach on surviving being stabbed – and documenting the aftermath 59:27

9M ago59:27

59:27

Content warning: audio contains graphic discussions of violence Eight years ago, filmmaker Aodh Breathnach was stabbed multiple times during a night out on Stokes Croft, and rushed in a taxi to the Bristol Royal Infirmary. Aodh was lucky. He recovered from injuries to his head and body within a few weeks and tried to put the attack out of his mind,…

1
#47 | Meet Your Lecturer 4 - Flavia De Luca 1:09:22

12M ago1:09:22

1:09:22

Manas, Saif and John speak with Dr. Flavia De Luca, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering at University of Bristol. Her expertise is within the field of structural and earthquake engineering, with a specific focus to Reinforced Concrete frame structures. She is part of the Earthquake and Geotechnical Engineering Research Group. I…

1
Babbasa CEO Poku Osei on working from the inside to change the system 56:19

1y ago56:19

56:19

Poku Osei transitioned from hustling to sell sugar and DVDs in Ghana to running one of Bristol’s most celebrated social enterprises. Babbasa focuses on helping young people access and thrive with new opportunities, including through alliances with corporates and big institutions. But does this ‘social mobility’ approach undermine more wide scale ch…

1
Kill the Bill riots ex-prisoner, Jasmine York 57:23

1y ago57:23

57:23

"F*** the police!", "Sluts Against Cops" and “We will burn your fucking cars.” These are some of the things Jasmine York said or graffitied during the ‘Kill the Bill’ riots in March 2021. The biggest incidence of unrest in mainland Britain in a decade. Jasmine was jailed in the aftermath for arson. As an activist and now ex-prisoner, what’s Jasmine…

1
Inside the city’s Labour party machine with local fixer Kelvin Blake 55:09

1y ago55:09

55:09

Behind every politician is a fixer. For many years Kelvin Blake has been behind the scenes as a key figure in the city’s Labour party, working on key campaigns that have seen Labour secure the lion's share of political power. But what exactly goes on behind the scenes and where next for Labour as the Greens challenge the party’s establishment statu…

1
Councillor Christine Townsend, on taking on the Merchant Venturers over educational inequality 1:01:11

1y ago1:01:11

1:01:11

It's been three years since the Colston statue was toppled, thrusting the Merchant Venturers - the elite club with a history of the worst kind - into the limelight. But for many years prior, Christine Townsend had been on a mission to fight what she sees as discriminatory practises of pupil selection, starting off with Merchant Venturer run schools…

1
Leftwing rabble rouser and co-founder of Bristol Transformed Isaac Kneebone-Hopkins 56:08

1y ago56:08

56:08

Bristol has long had a reputation as a hotbed of leftie radicals. Most recently, the movement that was built and surged during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party. Isaac has been a prominent activist with socialist campaign Momentum and as a co-founder of Bristol Transformed, a festival of radical ideas that will return to Bristol on the…

1
Bristol Cathedral's city chaplain Phil Nott, a reverend on a mission for social justice 56:13

1+ y ago56:13

56:13

How can a stuffy institution with deep links to British Establishment power play a role in bringing about social justice on Earth, in Bristol and beyond? Neil gets deep into a challenging conversation on the spiritual and political with Phil Nott, an experienced Church of England priest who is on that mission – and has just started a six-month role…

1
Headteacher of Redcliffe Nursery School Sam Williams 51:19

1+ y ago51:19

51:19

A large part of raising the early years of the next generation is entrusted to nurseries. But the sector is in a protracted crisis of funding and stability. Childcare costs in the UK are among the most expensive in the world, and direct government support for nurseries has not kept up with increasing needs. Especially in the context of an austerity…

1
Labour’s Nicola Beech on who’s getting the best deal out of the city: developers or the public? 53:33

1+ y ago53:33

53:33

Nicola Beech has got a big portfolio at City Hall - Strategic Planning, Resilience & Floods, plus representing St George Central. So how does she juggle the complexity with the pressures and controversies of political life? In this episode, Neil and Nicola dig into what it means to try to lead a city, and why it sometimes seems like developers are …

1
#46 | Meet Your Lecturer 3 - Becky Selwyn 59:36

1+ y ago59:36

59:36

Manas, Saif and Yassin speak with Dr. Becky Selwyn, a senior lecturer in thermodynamics and researcher in engineering education. Alongside her award winning teaching work, she undertakes pedagogic research investigating ways of improving student engagement in their learning. Read more about Becky's University of Bristol 2021 Teaching Award on the B…

1
Bristol City FC meets community and politics with James Edwards 44:52

1+ y ago44:52

44:52

While the Robins set their sights on promotion, James Edwards is working off the field to promote opportunities for the community in and around Bristol City FC, with the club’s community arm the Robins Foundation. But with the furore over Gary Lineker’s comments, what is the role of football in community and political life? Listen in with Neil and …

1
The city’s new Green Party leader, Emma Edwards, on being the biggest political force in these parts 49:11

1+ y ago49:11

49:11

Has Bristol’s local politics caught up with how many outsiders see the city: Full of cycling vegetarian activists? The Green Party are now the biggest group on the city council, and Emma Edwards the councillor for Bishopston and Ashley Down is charged with leading them through a tumultuous period as the city gears up to ditch the mayor and move to …

1
The armed robber turned TikTok addiction mentor, Paul Simmons 51:24

1+ y ago51:24

51:24

Paul Simmons’ mugshot appeared on the front page of the Bristol Evening Post in 2004. Fast forward through many years in jail, crimes and devastating addiction Paul appeared on the front page in November 2022 for very different reasons. Having served 22 years in 20 prisons over various sentences since 17, the care leaver is now making a name for hi…

1
The doctor prescribing ketamine to assist therapy, Dr Ben Sessa 52:24

1+ y ago52:24

52:24

Depending on who you ask, Ketamine conjures up different images and associations. For Dr Ben Sessa, a leading authority and practitioner of psychedelic assisted therapy, it is a powerful aid to helping people suffering from trauma and addiction. Sessa is the co-founder of Awakn, a company leading the burgeoning movement to use powerful drugs for he…

1
Editor of Bristol 24/7 and Hotwells election hopeful Martin Booth 58:26

1+ y ago58:26

58:26

From Boris Johnson to Marvin Rees will Martin Booth the editor of Bristol 24/7 become one of a long line of journalists who enter political office? Booth is in the running as an independent in the by-election for Hotwells and Harbourside ward. As editor of a local publication, what are Martin’s motivations and inspirations? Can anyone be really ind…

1
#45 | Degrees of Freedom #4: Matt From Bristol City Council's Innovation Team 36:47

1+ y ago36:47

36:47

How’s this for a late Christmas present on the 12th day of Christmas? DOFPOD Thursdays are back! Alby and Ellie sat down with Matt from Bristol City Council for our last recording of 2022 to talk behaviour change, heat pumps, community engagement, “sprinkling innovation” and much more. This is a great listen if you’re interested in how public secto…

1
#44 | Degrees of Freedom #3: Year in Industry Bonus 45:59

1+ y ago45:59

45:59

BONUS EPISODE!! Join Ellie and Alby as we invite our fellow Engineering Design friends Phil, Aasav and Frank to talk about our experiences on our Years in Industry. We talk about the highs and lows of the application process, what it is like to be the youngest in a company and our most embarrassing moments. We also celebrate the world cup with half…

1
#43 | Degrees of Freedom #2: Liz From Esoterix 43:24

1+ y ago43:24

43:24

BUSES ARE COOL! Tap on and welcome aboard as we sit at the back of the bus and chat all things public transport with Liz Davidson. Liz tells us all about the power of public transport and the important effect that network optimisation can have on community mobility, economic growth and reducing inequality. Outside of the bus chat, we explore Liz’s …

1
Working to welcome refugees amid the culture wars, with Fuad Mahamed, founder of Ashley Community Housing 50:14

1+ y ago50:14

50:14

Arriving to the UK in 1998 as a refugee from Somalia, Fuad Mahamed soon left behind a career as an engineer to work on his passion: Supporting people who, like himself, had newly arrived to the UK often fleeing war and oppression. Founded in 2008 in St Pauls, Ashley Community Housing (ACH) is a leading organisation on the integration and support of…

1
Local GP Dr Patrick Hart fresh from court for sabotaging a petrol station with Just Stop Oil 48:53

1+ y ago48:53

48:53

Just Stop Oil protestors have been disrupting business as usual since April 2022. A Daily Mail columnist called them “a deranged criminal eco-terrorist cult”. But who are the people behind the headlines? Neil sits down with Dr Patrick Hart, a local GP who has been putting his career and liberty on the line through direct action protests, including …

1
#42 | Meet Your Lecturer 2 - James Norman and Dominika Malkowska 55:26

1+ y ago55:26

55:26

Manas and Saif talk to James Norman and Dominika Malkowska, about the future of sustainable civil engineering. James is an award-winning engineer and teacher, he has designed landmark buildings and developed innovative teaching that combines practice with learning. He’s written several books for engineers and students making sustainable building a …

1
#41 | Degrees of Freedom #1: Jay From Fabrio 44:21

2y ago44:21

44:21

Hello! We are back with another episode of Degrees of Freedom.For our first ever proper episode we sit down for a chat with Jay Sahnan. Jay is only 23 and, whilst being an all round nice guy, has founded a software business and sent face masks round the world during the pandemic.Jay's business, Fabrio, is a software that is bringing STEM education …

1
Labour MP Kerry McCarthy on if Tories can be friends and the coming fights on migration, taxation and climate 56:23

2y ago56:23

56:23

Kerry McCarthy, the Labour MP for Bristol East, is the city’s longest serving representative in Westminster. Sometimes described as a ‘Brownite’ having been an ally of the former PM the last time Labour were in power, Kerry is now Shadow Minister for Climate Change. But is the party going far enough to confront the climate crisis? Can the Starmer’s…

1
#40 | Degrees of Freedom: Intro 7:52

2y ago7:52

7:52

Welcome to Degrees of Freedom, a new podcast from Engineers without Borders Bristol. Join Ellie and Alby each fortnight as they sit down for a wide-ranging chat with a new guest - someone with an engineering background and a passion for using their skills to benefit people and planet.This introduction episode will give you a taste of what there is …

1
#39 | Meet Your Lecturer 1 - Hermes Bloomfield-Gadêlha 52:04

2y ago52:04

52:04

Welcome to the new Meet Your Lecturer series. Over the next few weeks, we will be interviewing a number of lecturers at the University of Bristol, getting to know them better, learning about their research projects and asking them what motivates their ventures. Beth and John kick off our Meet Your Lecturer series by interviewing Dr Hermes Bloomfiel…

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 221 :- Royal Mail, Cabinet Office, Bed Bath and Beyond, Vodafone Italia, Data Reform, ECJ, TikTok, New London, Harcourts, Finland, Aveanna, St Lukes Health, Chegg, Russia, Dropbox ... 44:16

2y ago44:16

44:16

Coming up in this week's episode: Royal Mail data breach, ICO reduce Cabinet Office fine for breach of GDPR, Bed Bath and Beyond data breach update, Vodafone Italia data breach, Data Reform bill put for further consultation after Rishi Sunak appointment, Some important GDPR-related ECJ judgements expected in next few months, TikTok revises privacy …

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 220 :- Interserve, PFS, Bed Bath&Beyond, See Tickets, Bristol Council, Tata Power, Drizly, Small Claims, Ascension, Hoyoverse, Thomson Reuters, Medlab, Laois, Hungarian, Digital ... 47:11

2y ago47:11

47:11

Coming up in this week's episode: Interserve fined £4.4 million after breaches of GDPR and deficiencies in GDPR training, PFS data breach, Bed Bath and Beyond data breach, See Tickets data breach, Bristol City Council data breach, Tata Power data breach, MyDeal data breach update, Drizly data breach resolution has an unusual twist, High Court claim…

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 219 :- Conservative Party, Ticketmaster, NatWest RBS, Clearview AI, Nelnet, UK Cyber Security, Supply Chain, Mediahaus, California Pizza Kitchen, Estate Agents, Optus, MyDeal ... 45:47

2y ago45:47

45:47

Coming up in this week's episode: Conservative Party leadership election electronic voting fears of rogue state intervention, Ticketmaster data breach, Whistleblower asks NatWest RBS to pay Data Controller registration fee, Clearview AI fined €20 million for GDPR failures, Nelnet data breach, UK Businesses urged to enhance their cyber security, 5 s…

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 218 :- Queen Elizabeth II finances, East Renfrewshire, NHS Highland, Mormon Church, T-Mobile, 2K, Dialog, City of Tucson, General Electric, Latin America Cyberattacks, Optus, Zoetop ... 35:06

2y ago35:06

35:06

Coming up in this week's episode: Ministers ordered to release secret files concerning Queen Elizabeth II finances, East Renfrewshire Leisure data breach, Request for mediation after NHS Highland data breaches, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints data breach, T-Mobile data breach compensation website established, 2K data breach, Dialog data…

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 217 :- Lloyds of London, Meta, Kremlin, TikTok, UK Home Office, Easylife, Virgin Media, EU Attorney General, UK DCMS, Talbert Home, Detroit, Ruger, Toyota, Uber, PETs, RSA, DPC ... 48:38

2y ago48:38

48:38

Coming up in this week's episode: Lloyds of London forced to reset IT systems after cyberattack, Meta warns users that some third party apps collect and misuse user data, Cyberattackers turn their aim on the Kremlin, ICO could impose multi million fine on TikTok for GDPR failures and failure to comply with The Children's Code, ICO issues formal rep…

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 216 :- UK MOD ICO, Optus, Iran, Canadian Border Agency, Seattle Childrens Hospital, Financial survey, Swiss DPA, US UK Data Access 21:41

2y ago21:41

21:41

Coming up in this week's episode: UK MOD, Home Office, Virgin Media and four other organisations 'named and shamed' by ICO for failures to respond to Data Subject Access Requests, Optus data breach update, Hacktivists uniting to take action against Iran, Canadian Border Agency data breach, Seattle Childrens Hospital data breach, Financial survey sh…

1
The first Black president of a county cricket club, who's had bananas thrown at him on the field 47:22

2y ago47:22

47:22

From striking fear into the hearts of opponents with fearsome fast bowls to a gruesome career ending injury forcing retirement at 29, David ‘Syd’ Lawrence is a cricketing icon in Bristol and beyond. But it wasn’t all plain sailing in a sport known for its elitism for a self-described ‘tear-away kid’ of Black Caribbean heritage. Listen in with Neil …

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 215 :- American Airlines, Revolut, AEPD Google, Cash Express, Uber, Wymondham High, Optus, PSNI, Empress EMS, FBI, Employee Monitoring, CJEU Title, EDPB budget 28:11

2y ago28:11

28:11

Coming up in this week's episode: American Airlines data breach, Revolut data breach, AEPD fines Google €10 million for breaches of GDPR, Cash Express data breach, Man arrested in Oxfordshire in relation to Uber data breach, Wymondham High School data breach, Optus data breach, PSNI officers informed of court date for trial over alleged data breach…

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 214 :- Uber, FCA DDOS, NATO, Capital One, Cisco, Mid Term Elections, Lastpass, Drones, Uhaul, Cloud, Malaysia, SeeSaw, Brickler and Eckler, Indonesia, Physicians, Keybank, Starbucks ... 53:04

2y ago53:04

53:04

Coming up in this week's episode: Uber data breach, Financial Conduct Authority data reveals surge in DDOS attacks since war in Ukraine, More details emerge of leaked NATO documents in Portugal, Capital One consent order removed, Cisco attribute cyberattack to Lapsus$, Voting machine data breaches raise concerns ahead of Mid-Term Elections, Lastpas…

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 213 :- Queen Elizabeth II, NHS Advanced, Go Ahead, TikTok, DPC Instagram, IHG, Albania, Portugal NATO, Uber, IAB CJEU, IRS, Air India, GDPR PIPL 36:56

2y ago36:56

36:56

Coming up in this week's episode: Our recognition of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, NHS cyberattack on provider Advanced still being felt by NHS 111 after 3 weeks, Go Ahead bus services affected by cyberattack, TikTok denies data breach despite data appearing in online forums, DPC fines Instagram €405 million for GDPR breaches, IHG …

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 212 :- Facebook Cambridge Analytica, Authy, NHS Orkney, Samsung, Evil Corp Conti, Mobile Banking, Afni, Xinai Electronics, Vodafone Idea, Student Loans, Start, Semcorp Marine ... 34:18

2y ago34:18

34:18

Coming up in this week's episode: Facebook Cambridge Analytica data breach lawsuit reaches 11th hour settlement, Authy users affected by Twilio data breach, NHS Orkney data breach, Samsung data breach, Evil Corp and Conti linked to Cisco data breach, Mobile Banking Apps putting user's digital signatures at risk via use of Amazon Web Services (AWS),…

1
Why journalists are striking at the corporate publisher of Bristol Live 44:41

2y ago44:41

44:41

Reach PLC is one of the largest commercial publishers in the UK, which owns household brands like the Mirror and the Daily Star as well as the majority of local titles including Bristol Live, and pulls in millions in revenue. But 1,000 journalists employed by Reach PLC started striking yesterday (Wednesday) after rejecting a 3% pay rise. As reporte…

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 211 :- Lastpass, Nato, Plex, Doordash, Desfa, Hamilton Water, Robin Hood, CDCR, Indonesia Telekom, Block Square 21:35

2y ago21:35

21:35

Coming up in this week's episode: Lastpass data breach, Nato missile systems data breach could impact some systems sent to Ukraine, Plex data breach, Doordash data breach, Greek gas operator Desfa hit by data breach, Hamilton Water data breach, Robin Hood reach $20 Million settlement after data breach, California Department of Corrections and Rehab…

1
A senior school leader, race specialist and equality campaigner on stopping the ‘school to prison pipeline’ 57:46

2y ago57:46

57:46

When does bad behaviour get so serious that a young person should be permanently excluded from the mainstream school system? No More Exclusions, a campaign Lana co-founded, says never. For Lana, doing so is the result of a failed and often racist system. As an educator with decades of experience in Bristol and the region, Lana has a powerful vision…

1
GDPR Weekly Show Episode 210 :- Apple, ABI, SEC Equifax, Capital One, Manx Care, Westjet, Twilio Signal, Airtel, Whatcom County Library, Sferra, CPRA 24:18

2y ago24:18

24:18

Coming up in this week's episode: Apple reveal security flaw affecting iPhone, iPad, iPod and Apple Mac, Association of British Investigators opens consultation on GDPR Code of Conduft for its industry, SEC presses charges for insider trading regarding Equifax data breach, Capital One class action claim period extended, Manx Care face possible £170…

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Bristol City Council Podcasts

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