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Martin was first elected Councillor for Redland ward in 2014 and reelected in 2016 with an increased vote, then again in 2021 and 2024. He’s been an active councillor representing the ward, dealing with case work, securing repairs and responses to residents’ problems, and being a regular attendee at community events and council meetings.
He knows the ward well, responding promptly to residents, and is known for constructive, partnership working. Outside the council he’s known for supporting community initiatives and ran several courses to help residents save energy at home for over a decade. He also piloted a food waste recycling service for local businesses. He’s been closely involved in the city’s successful community led energy sector, helping write the Bristol Community Strategy for Energy.
Martin has promoted council action and partnerships for reuse and repair. He instigated a successful petition to get the council to cut the use of single-use disposable plastics and over many years as an experienced councillor, he scrutinised how parks, libraries and council housing are managed. His successful budget amendments paid for extra rooms in council houses to support foster families and training council staff in fitting energy-saving technologies to upgrade local housing. He also got £4m from developer funds assigned to secure improvements in parks and streets.
Over a decade Martin chaired a planning committee, challenged policies that encourage tall buildings and enabled new billboards. He’s a champion for self-build and community-led housing. He lead pressure on the council to end pension fund investments in fossil fuels, pushing for renewable energy solutions. He’s also been promoting green bonds to enable residents to invest locally in low risk projects that help protect the climate.
While chair of the Communities Scrutiny Commission of the council under the previous administration he led a working group to develop a detailed policy development agenda with stakeholders to get better management, planting, and protection for trees in the city. He ensured the council’s strategy for libraries was reviewed to learn from innovation projects and looked into the lessons of transferring assets to community groups. Before they were abandoned by the Labour administration he challenged the poor processes by which new rules and higher rents and other charges were being proposed for the allotments service. These were finally suspended until after the May 2024 elections.
Since Greens became the largest party under the committee system of governance Martin has been Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee of the city council, leading the cross party committee’s work to manage the council’s climate action, including the delivery of the city leap joint venture plans. He also leads its response to the ecological emergency, the recycling and waste services, and the policy for cleaner air. He’s also the co-chair of the One City Environment Board with city partners.
Martin and Fi Hance are one of the most experienced councillor teams in the whole city and have been working hard to serve the community in Redland ward for ten years now. They know the issues that matter to you and the local groups active in the area. From working with residents on local concerns, to campaigning for better-managed streets and supporting better parks for residents in the ward and across Bristol, they have proven that they know how to get things done for local people. Between them, they have a really broad range of skills and depth of experience in the community. They work very well together as a highly effective team. As councillors, they’ll be able to get a lot more done for Redland ward.
To read about some of the latest work Martin has been doing, please click here.
