Your say / St Pauls
‘The community needs broader support to restore safety and dignity to our streets’
As a long-time resident and father in St Paul’s, I’ve witnessed the full spectrum of life in our community: from its rich culture and resilience to its ongoing struggles with crime, drugs and gang activity.
Sadly, over the past year, those struggles have intensified.
What was once hidden has become brazenly open, and the silence from those meant to protect us has been deafening.
is needed now More than ever
Since mid-2024, drug-related activity has surged in both frequency and visibility.
Brunswick Cemetery, in particular, became a hotspot of concern.
Despite the severity, there was no regular police presence, no visible patrols and no known point of contact within the neighbourhood.
For many residents, including myself, the question became: who exactly is responsible for keeping this area safe?
In the absence of visible policing, my local councillor, Tim Wye, stepped up.
When I reached out to him earlier this year, his response was immediate, thoughtful, and reassuring.
He acknowledged the issues, listened to every concern I raised and took action.
Tim didn’t just respond – he engaged.
He escalated my concerns and kept the lines of communication open.
When attempts to reach local police went unanswered for a considerable period, Tim took it upon himself to raise the matter directly with neighbourhood inspector Tom Tooth, who then contacted me personally.
That level of follow-through is rare, and it made a real difference.
I’ve contacted Tim multiple times since. Each time he’s shown the same professionalism, empathy and dedication.
Frankly, I’ve found it easier to speak to him than to report issues to the police.
His tireless effort deserves recognition – not just from me, but from the wider community and city leadership.
Though I haven’t personally interacted with councillors Abdul Malik or Izzy Russell, I know many who have.
Abdul Malik is a familiar face at the Green Melon, where he holds weekly surgeries and speaks candidly about the challenges we face.
Izzy Russell, too, has earned glowing reviews from residents for her commitment and responsiveness.
It’s rare to have a trio of councillors so engaged and accessible and Ashley Ward is lucky to have them.
That said, the problems in our area are far from solved.
Open drug dealing continues, and the lack of visible policing remains a glaring issue. It’s deeply concerning that many residents don’t even know who their local beat officers are or ever see them – a sign of how disconnected enforcement has become from the community it serves.
These councillors are doing their best, but they cannot fix everything alone.
The community needs broader support – from law enforcement, city officials and national policymakers – to address the root causes and restore safety and dignity to our streets.
Next year, my family and I will be leaving Bristol.
It’s bittersweet.
I only hope our new councillors will be half as committed and effective as Tim Wye has been.
His work, and that of Abdul Malik and Izzy Russell, has made a real difference in a difficult time.
They deserve our thanks and, more importantly, our continued support.
This is an opinion piece by Ben Taylor, who lives in St Paul’s with his two children
If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send an email to ed-team@bristol247.com with your idea and we will get back to you with instructions on the next steps
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
