UoB to Consider Chandos Proposals

The University of Bristol’s Deputy Registrar, Lynn Robinson, promised to take away several ideas for consideration after attending a residents’ meeting organised by the Chandos Neighbourhood Association on July 3.

One such idea is whether the university’s uniformed 24-hour security force could be used in some role in respect to large late-night student parties, possibly in reporting or evidence-gathering. Residents have frequently suggested that the mobile force, which patrols campus properties in marked cars, should intervene to halt noisy events. The university says the security staff have no legal powers to stop parties in private properties, so the possibility that they could have even a non-interventionist role would represent some movement on the part of UoB.

However, Ms Robinson made clear that while she would take the idea back for discussion, she couldn’t promise what the outcome would be.

Roughly 25 people attended the meeting at Chum’s on Chandos Road (a respectable turnout considering the event clashed with England’s World Cup game). CNA chair Diana Swain asked those present to stick to the main focus of the discussion—how to respond to large, semi-professional student parties employing DJs, sound gear and doormen.

CNA’s detailed minutes of the discussion are available here.

Since the meeting (which I attended), I have written to Ms Robinson explaining why I think the primary responsibility for dealing with student noise should fall on the university, and suggesting how it could use its own powers more effectively (ideas I first described at the previous Chandos meeting, in April). These arguments and suggestions are set out in my post “Why UoB must tackle student noise – and how it can do so”.