Green-led Bristol City Council Publishes Draft Budget Proposals

• Bristol City Council publishes draft balanced budget proposals to be voted on by full council on the 25th of February
• Tens of millions to be invested in improving Council housing and tackle homelessness
• £66 million of additional investment in the General Fund – £19.7 million invested in adults and communities services and £27.8 million children and education 
• Any changes to Bristol’s library budgets will not be taken forward in this year’s budget – a cross-party group will look at how to make the service financially sustainable and reliable in the future
• Suggested cuts to school crossing patrols and charges for disabled parking bay installation have also not been taken forward
• Changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme will not be decided at this point and instead a cross-party working group will consult with external stakeholders to examine how best the Council can support low income families in the future
• Proposed closure to museums and the Cultural Investment Fund will be deferred by one year to allow Councillors on the culture working Group to look for alternative funding options.

Bristol City Council has published its finalised draft budget proposals. 

Cllr Heather Mack, Deputy Leader of the Council said; “This is a transitional budget that has been built on collaboration and which encourages contributions and ideas from all. 

“Following a list of failures from the previous Labour administration, 14 years of Conservative cuts to local authorities and an increase in demand for some of the vital services that the council provides, we’re facing significant financial challenges. We need to instil a greater level of financial sustainability across all levels of the organisation so we can deliver needed services in a fair and equitable way in the future. 

“Our motives as an administration are to work collaboratively to build a happier, greener and more resilient city. This won’t happen if we don’t tackle our finances and put the council on a sounder financial footing, and that’s what this budget does.”

“Make no mistake that local authorities across the country will continue to have to make cuts unless this Government delivers more support so we can provide vital services that some of our country’s most vulnerable people rely on.”

The council has a legal obligation to set a balanced budget every year. A full range of options brought forward by council departments to make £52 million of savings were made public and discussed by the cross-party Finance Sub-Committee earlier in the month. 

The draft budget, which took all these discussions into account, will now be taken to the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee for further scrutiny and discussion before being brought by the Leader of the Council to a meeting of the full council on the 25th of February for adoption. Political parties will also have a chance to bring amendments to the budget to this meeting. 

Having listened to the concerns that Bristol’s affected communities have put forward, several of the original proposals have not been taken forward. These include a proposal to cut £2.4million from the existing £4.7million libraries budget.

While there is recognition that savings will have to be made in the future, a cross-party working group will be set up by the Public Health and Communities Policy Committee to decide how to reform the library service across the city. 

Liberal Democrat Cllr Stephen Williams, Chair of the Public Health and Communities policy Committee, said, “This working group will be able to conduct a root-and-branch review of the library service. I’m pleased that we will now have the time and space to do this meaningfully, without the immediate pressure of a budgetary cut. However, one of our objectives will be to craft a service that is financially sustainable.

“We will also be looking at ways of improving the service offering by having libraries open at the times of day most useful for their communities. Additionally, we will see what other activities could take place in the network of library buildings, and whether library outlets could be opened in other venues. I look forward to working with the various library ‘friends-of’ groups and others who want to see a revamped service that meets the needs of Bristol.”

Other proposals that have not been taken forward in the final budget include proposals to cut school crossing patrols and charging for disabled parking bay installation, after pushback from the Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, Cllr Ed Plowden.  

Cllr Plowden said, “Our school crossing patrol officers, or lollipop people as they are affectionately known, do a truly fantastic job in dangerous circumstances. Working split shifts in all weathers for the living wage, they make such a difference to the journey to school for so many children who must cross dangerous streets. 

“While I am delighted that we don’t need to take forward the reduction in school crossing patrols, I’m also determined to reduce road danger. By working together with the emergency services, but more importantly all the people who drive and move goods and services around Bristol, we can make Bristol’s streets safer for our children once and for all.”

Any changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme will also not be in this year’s budget, and a cross-party working group working with external stakeholders, including organisations like ACORN, will be set up to examine how best the Council can support low income families in the future. This will include looking at the council tax reduction scheme. 

The reduction and closure of the Cultural Investment Programme has been deferred, as well as the proposed closure of Blaise Museum, Red lodge Museum and the Georgian House Museum.

The cross-party committee on culture will now look at plans for alternative funding for arts and culture, including the best ways to utilise these cultural assets. 

While making significant savings in some areas, the budget will also invest in vital areas to improve the lives of Bristol residents:

Transport 

• Ring fenced income from the clean air zone will be invested in extra maintenance and buses. Maintenance investment will focus on up to three extra teams to work on drainage clearance. 
• LED lighting is being extended to parks and docks within budget, which will save £1.4m and 1700 tonnes of carbon annually.

Children and Young People 

• Vital investments in children, young people and families include hiring 34 new practitioner staff at Family Hubs to provide increased support and reduce practitioner case loads. These will include specialist practitioners to work with adolescents.
• Money has also been made available to hire an additional Social Worker to work within the Post 16 housing team to better support young people needing to be accommodated by the local authority.

Housing Revenue Account

• Investment in improving council housing stock, including £21.6 million in investment in high rise blocks, £19 million in day to day repairs, and millions more to improve specific areas such as electrical testing, fire alarm, and tackling damp and mould.
• Continuation to provide new social housing with 728 units planned, 136 will be delivered 25/26 and 263 in 26/27 .

Cllr Barry Parsons, Chair of the Homes and Housing delivery Policy Committee, said “We will be investing tens of millions to bring council homes up to a safe and decent standard and deal with a huge backlog of repairs that has built up under the previous administration. 

“We’re also investing to tackle homelessness, buying 75 new homes for temporary accommodation, and stopping people becoming homeless in the first place. This is a win-win: saving the council money while providing better outcomes for families at risk of losing their home.”

Prevention of Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence

Cllr Cara Lavan; “Prevention of Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence are absolute priorities for Bristol Green Party. Even though provision of this service is non statutory, we will be ensuring the council invests £2.5m to continue the currently available services. 

“We have also been assured that all of our annual grants providing domestic abuse services have been reconfirmed, with a small uplift in some cases.”

Notes for editors 

Housing Revenue Account

• The option to dispose of a small number of council-owned properties as reported would only go forward under a disposals policy approved by members.
• It’s common practice for local authorities to have such a policy; some call it a sustainable asset management policy or similar title. Bristol doesn’t have one, largely because the previous administration blocked any disposal of HRA assets under any circumstances (even in the case of long-term void and derelict properties, as well as commercial or other non-residential units that serve no present housing purpose).
• At present the service is considering disposals under a range of criteria including: historic costs and estimated future investment needs compared to income generated; void performance; social value, size and demand.
• Among the reported 1,222 properties identified that are in poor condition, many of them are of course someone’s beloved home and it’s the council’s responsibility to bring them up to a decent standard. The service would never sell someone’s home from under them.
• Based on initial assessments, officers are suggesting an option to dispose of up to 14 properties next year and 28 a year subsequently, up to a total of 159. This includes 33 properties that are currently long-term voids and are uninhabitable. These are indicative assumptions, since the policy to support them would need to be developed first and each disposal would have to be carefully considered.
• Any receipts from these disposals could be invested in acquiring homes or improving existing ones.