John Wimperis 📰
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johnwimperis.bsky.social
John Wimperis 📰
@johnwimperis.bsky.social
52 followers 12 following 93 posts
Local Democracy Reporter covering Bath & North East Somerset and North Somerset // Based with @somersetlive.co.uk // #CardiffTrained // (he/him)
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johnwimperis.bsky.social
North Somerset Council is losing around a quarter of a million pounds a year on this badly-built car park and is locked into the lease until 2058

The council leader called it: "The worst deal any council has ever signed"

#LDReporter #WestonSuperMare #Weston-super-Mare
November 11, 2025 at 10:48 AM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
Big news for #Bath

Bath Rugby says it has been told by the Secretary of State that he will not be calling in the plans for their stadium

It means that the council is now free to grant the planning permission councillors voted in favour of last week

www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/other-...
Bath Rugby stadium will get built after Government green light
"We are thrilled to have received this news so swiftly"
www.somersetlive.co.uk
September 26, 2025 at 3:55 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
As Churchill so nearly said: "We will fight them with the benches"

My #LDReporter story on a bizarre row between the police and the owner of the Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare

www.somersetlive.co.uk/whats-on/wha...
Chippy told to remove picnic tables that 'could be used as weapons'
The police have been locked in a bizarre furniture row with the owner of the Grand Pier
www.somersetlive.co.uk
September 3, 2025 at 5:34 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
I sat down with Helen Godwin for a long chat about her first 100 days as WECA mayor

From how her transport plans remind me of Keir Starmer to how she plans to see off Reform and the Greens and be re-elected in 2029, read the #LDReporter story here:

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
Reform, buses, and taking over from Dan Norris - WECA mayor's first 100 days
100 days into being the West of England Metro Mayor, we speak to Helen Godwin
www.somersetlive.co.uk
August 14, 2025 at 12:03 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
🧵 Eight years ago, North Somerset Council moved Worle Library out of its purpose built 1960s building into a more than 100-year-old former school

It was meant to cut costs but 'extensive wet rot' discovered in the old school means it now faces closure:

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerse...
Library faces closure as building has 'extensive wet rot'
It was moved out of its purpose built 1960s building into the more than 100-year-old former school eight years ago to save money
www.somersetlive.co.uk
August 7, 2025 at 4:41 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
It's decided. A village near Bath's unique brutalist church will be demolished to make way for housing

Despite being locally listed last year, the plans have been approved without councillors even getting a vote

Full #LDReporter story here:
www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
Unique church to be demolished without a vote being cast
It's been described as the 'sack' of the village
www.somersetlive.co.uk
July 22, 2025 at 10:19 AM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
Nine councillors have launched a bid to stop a change to Bath's evening business waste collection

Why? The change could inadvertently cost shops upwards of £3k a year to close at 5pm

Read the full #LDReporter story here:

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
New bin rule that could cost shops £3k to shut at 5pm
The council wants to change Bath's business bin collection timings by an hour — but councillors say it has not been thought through
www.somersetlive.co.uk
July 16, 2025 at 10:55 AM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
This car park is losing North Somerset Council over a quarter of a million pounds a year

But, under a contract signed 13 years ago, the council is locked into leasing the mostly unusable car park for decades to come

Read the full #LDReporter story here:
www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerse...
Ghost town car park losing council quarter of a million a year
And the council has no choice but to keep paying the lease until 2058
www.somersetlive.co.uk
July 8, 2025 at 12:32 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
Many normally loyal Labour MPs are rebelling against the government over the planned cuts to PIP

One of them is Sadik Al-Hassan, who was elected North Somerset's first ever Labour MP last year

And he has a very personal reason why

#LDReporter

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
North Somerset MP rebels against government for his disabled son
'North Somerset didn’t elect me to be robot'
www.somersetlive.co.uk
June 24, 2025 at 1:05 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
A former police officer dismissed over a “misuse of his position” in a row about a basketball is standing as a #ReformUK candidate

If elected, he would be Jacob Rees-Mogg's local councillor

Read the full #LDReporter story here:
www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
Police officer dismissed over basketball row standing for Reform UK
He was dismissed from Avon and Somerset Police in 2019
www.somersetlive.co.uk
June 19, 2025 at 3:39 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
About 400 people across the two integrated care boards covering Bristol, North Somerset, South Glos, and Gloucestershire proper could be made redundant

One CEO said: 'We feel devastated by what we are being asked to do.'

Read the #LDReporter story here:
www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerse...
400 NHS redundancies expected with 50 per cent spending cut ordered
“We feel devastated by what we are being asked to do”
www.somersetlive.co.uk
May 23, 2025 at 1:57 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
Last night, a politician told me I write "clickbait"

So to clear up any confusion: I don't just write stories to get lots of clicks — I want to get lots of people to #buyapaper too :)

There's a great Bath Chronicle in shops all week

#LDReporter
May 23, 2025 at 9:06 AM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
A hugely important case not just for Yatton and North Somerset, but for the country

Do Labour's new housing targets mean councils have to allow homes to be built in flood zones?

The High Court will decide

Read the #LDReporter story here:

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerse...
Fight launched to stop 190 homes being built in flood zone
A battle over plans to build 190 homes in Yatton has 'national significance'
www.somersetlive.co.uk
May 22, 2025 at 8:44 AM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
A Thai food truck from Cheddar is locked in a bizarre battle with North Somerset Council — all over 10p

Read the #LDReporter story here:

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
Food truck faces £1,000 fine if customers don’t pay 10p
'The way their policy is written doesn’t cover people like me'
www.somersetlive.co.uk
May 19, 2025 at 2:47 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
Tomorrow, B&NES' employment committee votes on the council's new pay structure — which means a pay cut for 106 council workers

Meanwhile, 245 more council workers could see a pay cut agreed in coming months

Read the #LDReporter story here &🧵below
www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
Council workers 'devalued' as they await ‘gutting’ pay cut decision
'How can the council do this? What the hell?'
www.somersetlive.co.uk
May 13, 2025 at 5:55 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
As Bristol Central MP Carla Denyer says she will step down as Green Party leader, another Green in the area says he is running for deputy leader of the party

And he's just 21

#LDReporter

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
North Somerset’s youngest councillor wants to be Green Party deputy leader
' We are the best performing party among 18-24 year olds and there’s no one in our leadership that reflects that'
www.somersetlive.co.uk
May 8, 2025 at 8:53 AM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
There's a fantastic double page spread on the elections in this weekend's Western Daily Press

Including my coverage of the dramatic West of England Mayor election and the breakdown of the vote by council area

#LDReporter #buyapaper
May 3, 2025 at 10:26 AM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
Here's how each different area in the West of England voted for the mayor

We often say its a politically diverse region and this shows it

A different candidate was on top in each different area

#LDReporter

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
How your area voted for West of England Mayor and who won where
A different candidate came top in each different area
www.somersetlive.co.uk
May 2, 2025 at 12:15 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
There is just under an hour and a half left to cast your vote for West of England Mayor (in B&NES, Bristol, or South Glos). Polls close at 10!

I will be covering the result from the count in Bristol tonight so follow this thread🧵

#LDReporter

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
West of England Mayor election: When will we know the result?
If you want to see the result declared, you will need to stay up late
www.somersetlive.co.uk
May 1, 2025 at 7:42 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
The first (the only?) poll for the West of England Metro Mayor election next week has been conducted by @YouGov

Read all about it here:

#LDReporter

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
YouGov poll puts Greens ahead of Labour in tight race for WECA Mayor
The first poll into how the West of England Metro Mayor election may go has been published
www.somersetlive.co.uk
April 25, 2025 at 11:45 AM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
It's not often there's an international incident on the front of the #Bath Chronicle — but it's unpredictable times we're living in

Plenty of my #LDReporter stories on the dump, liveable neighbourhoods, and the latest council chamber drama inside

It's not too late to #buyapaper
Front page of the Bath Chronicle from April 17, with a pic of Wera Hobhouse and headline "Warning after my shock in Hong Kong"
April 19, 2025 at 11:48 AM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
Last week, I interviewed Arron Banks — Reform candidate for West of England Mayor — who blamed Somalis for drugs and crime in Bristol

This week, I've been speaking to people in #Bristol's Somali community about what they think of his words

#LDReporter

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-n...
‘We have every right to be here’ Bristol’s Somalis tell Arron Banks
The Reform candidate for West of England Metro Mayor had blamed Somalis for crime in Bristol
www.somersetlive.co.uk
April 11, 2025 at 9:41 AM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
Dan Norris — North East Somerset and Hanham MP and West of England Metro Mayor — was arrested on Friday on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.

Here is my #LDReporter story on what this means for constituents:

www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerse...
What MP Dan Norris' arrest means for constituents
He was arrested on April 4 on suspicion of rape and child sex offences
www.somersetlive.co.uk
April 8, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Reposted by John Wimperis 📰
somersetlive.co.uk
A police investigation is ongoing
Somerset MP suspended after 'rape and child abduction arrest'
A police investigation is ongoing
www.somersetlive.co.uk
April 5, 2025 at 6:53 PM
johnwimperis.bsky.social
I am at North Somerset’s full council meeting tonight

But the internet is down and they don’t think they can record

So if you’re interested in what happens tonight either sprint to Weston-super-Mare Town Hall or keep and eye on the stories I’m writing this week

#LDReporter
April 1, 2025 at 5:02 PM