Paul Smith
Paul Smith has been a community activist in Bristol for almost
30 years. His first active role as the secretary of the South
Bristol Youth Council (aged 16). Paul grew up in Hartcliffe
on the southern edge of the City, attending the local comprehensive
and then the technical college. He went to University in
Newcastle where he studied Astrophysics and Astronomy as an
undergraduate and later gained a Post Graduate
Certificate of Education in secondary mathematics and
sciences. Paul was also Sabbatical President of the
University Students Union.
Paul returned to Bristol in 1987 and worked for two years as the
County of Avon's Youth Participation Worker. In 1988 he was
elected as the youngest councillor to Bristol City Council.
he became Bristol's youngest ever committee chair with
responsibility for Environmental Health and led the development a
cross council 'Green Charter' covering a wide range of
environmental issues.
In 1989 he was one one of the founder members of South Bristol
Youth Housing Association (now called Priority Youth Housing) and
started a career in housing starting at the West Region Housing
Association Group Training Scheme. From here he went to Avon
Voluntary Housing Forum a regional umbrella group for special needs
and homelessness projects in the south west and later became the
Regional Officer of the National Housing Federation promoting
affordable housing.
In 1994 Paul became the chair of Property Services on the
Council and revolutionised a department very much in the
doldrums. Over a four year period he used Bristol's
property portfolio to generate income for the council and assist
the development of a number of key projects including @tBristol,
St Werburgh's City farm, SS Great Britain, Bristol
Architecture Centre and Spike Island. Identifying the threat
from Cribbs Causeway to city centre shopping, Paul worked with The
Bristol Initiative to establish the Broadmead Board. This
cross sector partnership ensured that Broadmead developed and grew,
rather than whithered and died, when faced with the out of town
threat. Improved management and new investment turned
Broadmead around leading to the new development underway today.
In Paul's final year on the Council he was elected Chair of
Leisure and he introduced free museum entry and started a major
investment in childrens' play facilities across the City including
two major new parks.
From 2000-2005 Paul worked away from Bristol, firstly as Chief
Executive of Housing Potential UK an organisation which promoted
and developed qualifications and vocational standards for the
rented housing sector, then as a Director of the Heart of England
Housing Group in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Paul stayed involved in services in Bristol during this time as
a Non-Executive Director of the Avon & Wiltshire Partnership
Mental Health NHS Trust.
In 2005 Paul was appointed Chief Executive of the
Furniture Re-use Network. This national charity is
based in old market in Bristol and supports 400 re-use charities
across the country including, three in central Bristol: The Sofa
Project; Emmaus Bristol and The Space Trust. During his time
there he increased the work of the charity to meet its social and
environmental objectives, for more information visit www.frn.org.uk and established a
social enterprise arm.
Paul lives in Bristol and has three children, Jay, 22, who
is a primary teacher, Kiri 17 currently studying for her A
levels and Leo, 3 who attends a Bristol nursery
school.
Paul is a member of the Co-operative Party and the Transport and
General Workers Union (Unite)
For a Political Profile see Labour
List:
http://Labourlist.org/ppc-profile-paul-smith
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