CAMPAIGNERS fighting Bristol City Council's plans to sell off green spaces are calling on people to join a protest meeting next week.

The council has faced ongoing criticism for the area green spaces plan, which proposes selling off 62 sites across the city to fund improvements in other parks.

Public consultation officially came to an end at the end of October, but residents are still hoping to get their message across.

The protest is planned for 1pm on Tuesday, ahead of the full council meeting at the Council House on College Green at 2pm.

At that meeting councillors are due to discuss a motion put by the Conservative Party calling for the green spaces scheme to scrapped.

Rosemarie Rendu-Jeffries, of Lodge Hill, hoped as many people as possible would attend the "show of strength".

She said: "We want to make it clear we're not letting this go.

"This is people power. If we don't say we don't want it, the council will go ahead and do it. These are our lives that are being affected."

A similar protest held on College Green ahead of a council meeting in September attracted more than 100 people with placards and banners.

Depending on the outcome of the motion to scrap the plan, a second protest is pencilled in for December 16, when a decision on which sites will be sold off is due to be made by the council cabinet.

Ms Rendu-Jeffries also had a few choice words for executive member for the scheme Gary Hopkins, particularly his recent praise of Horfield campaigners' "intelligent lobbying".

He praised a number of community groups who were fighting to protect Wellington Hill fields, but this has raised concerns from some campaigners that people who aren't as "intelligent" may not be able to keep their green spaces free from development.

Ms Rendu-Jeffries said: "The way Gary Hopkins is running around doing everything, he's the only image we've got of the council and it's not a good one.

"He's made a lot of people very angry, he seems to dismiss us as ordinary people. In Horfield they have solicitors and barristers – perhaps he doesn't like talking to people like us?"

Mr Hopkins stressed that everyone's views would be listened to – "100 per cent".

He said: "We'll be looking at every response that comes in.

"None of the opinions are going to be ignored, all will be taken into account.

"The people in Horfield gave logical reasons for how the site could be used.

"In some areas a lot of help has been given to people to express their views where as beforehand that wasn't always happening."

What do you think of the proposals for your area? Email s.rkaina@bepp.co.uk or write to Sam Rkaina, Evening Post, Temple Way, Bristol, BS99 7HD.