A by-election is due to take place in north Bristol this week.
This comes after the resignation of Labour councillor Helen Godwin, who had been education chief at City Hall until she got a new job as a management consultant and quit the Bristol City Council cabinet and then as a councillor altogether before Christmas.
The Southmead ward has, almost exclusively, been a Labour stronghold for 25 years or more, but with the Green Party drawing level with Labour on 24 councillors each at last May’s full council elections, who wins the by-election on February 17 matters more than it might have done.
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Just a few days before the election, we spoke to Southmead residents about their thoughts. Two people we stopped didn't know there was an election at all, but most people we spoke had it on their radar.
Penny Burt, who has lived in Southmead for 30 years, knew when the election was and said she was intending on voting for the Greens. "I have always voted for the Greens and I am hoping that they may get in this time," she said.
"The majority of my neighbours vote for Labour though, I think it will definitely go to Labour. We have had quite a few leaflets through the door about it."
Kelly Morgan was aware of the by-election but wasn't sure of the exact date, adding that she had had both leaflets from the Greens and Labour. The 46-year-old - who has lived in Southmead all her life - said that if she votes it will be for the Green Party.
"Some of the things they are saying are good for locals, but I do not really follow it [local politics]," said the mum-of-five. "The chap who is running for the Greens is my mum's neighbour so, if there was something I needed doing, I could just knock on the door.
"The Greens knocked on my door the other day and said they were neck and neck with Labour."
Ms Morgan said that not many people are taking notice though, adding her mum is the only person to talk to her about the upcoming election. However, she said that a lot of things need doing in Southmead, especially for children.
"There is nothing here for the kids unless you are paying lots of money to get them into clubs," said the mum. "I am not very keen on Labour since Jeremy Corbyn and that puts me off voting for them in the local elections.
"I am too busy with life so I am not sure if I will have the time to go vote."
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A pensioner - who didn't wish to be named - said she doesn't follow local politics much but that she had had all the paperwork through the door.
"I will be voting Labour," she said. "I contacted my councillor a few months ago and the issue got sorted straight away, so I will vote for the Labour one.
"No reason to change."
Southmead is usually represented by two councillors at City Hall - Cllr Godwin shared the ward representation with fellow Labour councillor Brenda Massey.
With one brief exception, Southmead has been a stronghold for Labour for decades - the last time a Labour candidate wasn’t elected in Southmead was in 2009, when the Lib Dems won what was then a single seat by just 20 votes, only for Labour to win the seat back at a by-election in 2011.
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Before that, the seat was held for a couple of years from 1992 by the Conservatives. At the 2021 city-wide council elections, Cllrs Massey and Godwin won more than 40 per cent of the vote, ahead of the two Conservative councillors.
Stuart - who has lived in Southmead since 2008 - described himself as "quite a political person". However, he said he wouldn't be voting this week.
"I won't bother voting because it won't change anything," said the military veteran. "We have had leaflets about it even though we have sign on the door saying no cold-callers, but we haven't been door knocked."
Chris, who has lived in Southmead for eight years, said he had heard about the election but that he wasn't sure if he would go to vote.
"I am not sure who to vote for because I do not know much about it, maybe the Green Party," he said. "Their candidate has some interesting ideas.
"Maybe I will make the effort and go to vote, but it will depend how I feel on the day as it is difficult for me to move."
The resident said he would like to see improvements of parks in the area and particularly more basketball facilities.
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