Eastville is one of Bristol's most culturally diverse wards.

From the predominantly white middle class suburbs in the north around Colston's School and the Frome Valley nature trail to the ethnic mix of people living around Fishponds Road to the south, it is one of the city's most diverse areas.

Statistics show that about 18 per cent of the ward's 12,000-strong population are from ethnic backgrounds – 10 per cent more than the Bristol average – predominantly British Asians and those with Black African or Caribbean heritage.

The southern half of the ward, encompassing Eastville, the northern edges of Easton, Clay Hill and Clay Bottom, are predominantly Victorian terraced houses, with a mix of 1960s homes.

The northern side, spreading from the M32 boundary and Stapleton in the west, to Blackberry Hill Hospital and Fishponds in the east, has more semi-detached and detached homes in their own grounds.

The A432 – Fishponds Road – cuts through the ward from west to east, but despite the densely populated south and north, there is a large amount of green space in the centre.

Eastville Park, with its tennis courts and the River Frome running through it, stretches from Muller Road to Ridgeway Park cemetery, behind which there is a large parcel of undeveloped land.

Greenbank cemetery to the south is also a welcome open area among the narrow streets.

Although there are no major shopping centres in the ward – the Eastville collection of supermarkets and stores are the other side of the M32 – Fishponds Road is the main hub of activity.

At its westerly end there are a diverse range of ethnic shops and restaurants, which provide for the local community.

To the east there are some High Street shops, as well as hairdressers, post offices, curry houses and pubs.

Despite a population of 12,000, there are relatively few schools.

May Park Primary is to the south, the former private Colston's School is to the north and Bristol Metropolitan College is to the east.

There are also relatively few jobs – 3,000 compared with a city average of 6,560 – but this is unsurprising considering its residential status, lack of industrial centres or major shopping precincts.

Eastville is a mixed bag when it comes to community cohesion.

Crime rates are on the whole lower than the Bristol average, yet 45 per cent of residents feel crime has got worse over the last three years, 10 per cent more than the average.

Just over half those polled in a council census said they trusted people locally, but 60 per cent feel ethnic differences are respected.

Less than a third, 30 per cent, thought anti-social behaviour was a problem – 11 per cent down on the city average – but only 41 per cent were happy with the appearance of their streets, compared with 49 per cent across Bristol.

Despite this, people seem to be happy in Eastville, at least as much as anywhere else in the city.. The council study found 90 per cent were happy, and 75 per cent were satisfied with life.

Political forecast:

Eastville is a strong ward for the Liberal Democrats, and it seems unlikely that the party will lose its hold this year. In 1999 the Lib Dems took more than 50 per cent of the vote. Labour shaded the vote in 2001 – general election year – by less than one per cent, but the Lib Dems won winning by almost 13 per cent in 2003.

Since then the party has gradually increased its hold, and in May 2007 Muriel Cole took just under 50 per cent of the votes, 20 per cent more than her nearest rival.