All Green amendments at today’s Budget meeting

Green Councillors have proposed 5 amendments to this evening’s budget meeting at full Council. They include taking action towards carbon neutrality by 2030, creating more housing and providing better bus services. A summary is below:

• Development of a 12 year plan to make Bristol carbon neutral by 2030 and a range of other local improvements, funded through cracking down on commercial landlords whose buildings do not meet energy efficiency requirements.
• Over £6m in investment into improvements to Bristol’s bus services. This would be funded through a congestion charge on out of town motorists which would reduce congestion, improving journey times and air quality and helping Bristol meet it’s ambitious 2030 carbon target.
• An amendment to increase council housing provision by building additional rooms into existing housing where possible during empty periods.
• Scrapping free parking perks for councillors and senior staff and cutting money from the Mayor’s Office to improve pay for foster carers.    
• Investing to save by spending £2m on providing more independent housing for adults with disabilities.

Last year, Green councillors passed amendments to reverse Labour cuts to crisis funds for the poorest people in the city and build housing for children in care. However they refused to vote for Labour’s austerity budget which contained cuts of £34 million across Bristol, including library and public toilet closures and a large funding cut to Adult Social Care. Many of the cuts proposed in this budget are yet to come into effect.