Mark Wright (politician)

Dr Mark Wright is a software engineer and elected councillor in Bristol. He has been councillor for Cabot ward since 2005, and was re-elected in 2009 and 2013.[1] After a ward boundary review in 2016 in which Cabot ward was abolished, he was elected for the new successor ward of Hotwells and Harbourside. Between 2009 and 2011 he was Executive Councillor responsible for Housing, Service Improvement and IT on Bristol City Council in Bristol, England.[2]

Mark Wright
Born1974
Bristol

Background

Mark Wright was born in Bristol in 1974, went to schools in Bristol and has a degree in chemistry from Bristol University. He also completed a PhD in astrophysics at Bristol University, with a thesis on "interstellar hydroxyl masers" that won the Royal Astronomical Society's prize for "Best PhD in the UK" in 2002[3]

Politics

In his role on the council executive, Mark Wright was responsible for nearly 30,000 council houses in the city that house over 60,000 residents,[4] the first council house building program in Bristol for nearly 30 years.[5][6][7] Under his IT remit he tightened the Council's rules on RIPA authorisations to limit council "snooping" on residents.[8][9][10] He was also chairman of one of the City Council's planning committees from 2007–2009.

He was a member of the South West Provisional Council[11] and sat on the "West of England Partnership" Planning and Housing Board.[12] He was a Governor of St George's Primary School, which he helped save from closure in 2008.[13]

He has a record of opposing ID cards,[14][15] supporting tidal power in the Severn Estuary[16] and supporting civil liberties,[17][18] and campaigning for reform of Parliamentary expenses.[19] He has also campaigned against nuclear power[20][21] and against light pollution.[22][23]

In 2006 he helped save a popular piece of graffiti by local artist Banksy; an online petition he started collected over 3,500 signatures.[24]

He was the Liberal Democrat candidate for Bristol South constituency at the 2010 General Election and again for the 2015 General Election.[25]

Open Standards advocacy

Wright has been a proponent of Open Source,[26] open document formats, and open data in UK local government,..[27][28]

References
  1. Bristol City Council: Councillor Details Archived 3 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Bristol Evening Post: Mr Wright who can do no wrong". Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  3. Royal Astronomical Society: Winners of the 2002 Thesis Prizes
  4. Bristol City Council: Budget 2009–2010 Archived 4 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "This is Bristol: Bristol to build first council houses in 30 years". Archived from the original on 16 September 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  6. eGov Monitor: Council wins another £2.3m to finance more new homes Archived 29 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Bristol 24/7: Landlords have "Social responsibility" to fill empty homes Archived 6 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  8. This is Bristol: Bristol housing chief – we won't snoop on you
  9. Jack FM: Snooping Powers Only "Last Resort" in Bristol
  10. Bristol City Council: Council takes action to safeguard privacy
  11. South West Provincial Council Members
  12. West of England Partnership Planning and Housing Board
  13. "This is Bristol: Two Bristol primaries axed – but one survives". Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  14. The Guardian: Council votes to oppose ID cards
  15. "This is Bristol: 'Bristol schools letting in ID cards by the back door'". Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
  16. "This is Somerset: Lib Dems oppose barrage across Bristol Channel". Archived from the original on 9 October 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  17. The BBC: Bristol plans to restrict outdoor play in parks withdrawn
  18. The Guardian: Bristol plans ban for tree-climbing, skateboarding and 'annoying' football
  19. "This is Bristol: Would-be Bristol MP backs calls to change politicians' expenses". Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
  20. Original 106.5: Bristolians "Should Have Say" On Nuclear Plans
  21. Bristol 24/7: Call for city to oppose new nuclear power plants Archived 27 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  22. Bristol City Council: Help us reduce unnecessary floodlighting says council housing chief Archived 2 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  23. Build.co.uk: Reduce Floodlighting, Says Housing Chief
  24. Bristol Indymedia: Help protect Banksy's Park St mural, again! Archived 11 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  25. Bristol Post
  26. The Register: Bristol Council mulls mixed FOSS, Microsoft upgrade
  27. "BEP Find out where your money's going". Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
  28. "Bristol 24/7: Wikipedia founder in Bristol to celebrate 10th anniversary". Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
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