Opposition groups on Bristol City Council have revealed how they would spend residents’ money. Greens, Tories, Lib Dems and Knowle Community Party have all suggested changes, called amendments, to Marvin Rees’s budget, with some targeting funding to the mayor’s office and the authority’s public relations to reverse several controversial measures or projects like reopening public toilets.
The Labour mayor proposes £19.5million of cutbacks, or “savings”, to plug a funding shortfall and balance the books in 2022/23, part of £33million of cost reductions over the next five years. Mr Rees insists no frontline services will be cut while huge investments are made in housing and affordable homes in the budget, which will be set at a meeting of full council on Tuesday (February 15).
But the plans have come under fire as they include steeper fees for allotments and parking, such as scrapping the 30-minute free stays, charges to install disabled residents’ vehicle bays, a rehab centre closure, “swingeing” cuts to museums and archives, less money for library books and £5.5million less on council staffing, including redundancies.
