Clifton Down ward has an estimated population of 11,500 and covers the area between Hampton Road in the east and Pembroke Road in the west, and the Downs to the north and the Triangle to the south.  Marked by tree-lined streets of large Victorian houses, the ward has an attractive physical environment and is sufficiently close to the city centre to be reached on foot for those who are able. The ward used to be called Clifton East and is broadly the part of Clifton that sits around Whiteladies Road, which is a major retail and leisure destination for Bristol residents, with numerous shops, bars, and restaurants. Clifton Down Shopping Centre acts as a hub for social activity at the centre of the ward.

Clifton Down is a relatively prosperous area with some pockets of deprivation, and according to the Bristol City Council ward profile, it has an above average quality of life, below average levels of antisocial behaviour, below average dependency on both benefits and difficulty in getting by financially.  The ward also has quite a significant number of students, most living in private rented accommodation. Only 7.5% of the population of Clifton Down have children whereas 33% are aged between 16 and 24.

Key challenges facing the local community in Clifton Down are:

• Housing – the large student population does have an impact on those parts of the ward where almost 80% of the housing is in multiple occupation, and noise and waste can be a nuisance. 57% of Clifton Down residents are in private rented accommodation while 79% live in a flat, compared with 34% of the city as a whole.
• Traffic and Parking –Parts of Clifton Down have implemented a Residents Parking Zone (RPZ) and because the ward has a major thoroughfare running through it, parking can be a challenge. Traffic congestion and air quality are major areas of concern for many residents.