Bristol City Council Budget

The Mayor’s proposed budget for the next 3 years was published at 8pm on Monday 18th November. Details are on the Council’s website at:

www.bristol.gov.uk//budget

As far as Park Groups are concerned the most significant cuts proposed are probably:

R-PL-005 Parks
Reduce work specification for parks, ground maintenance contracts
Re-letting contract in 2015 and reducing the specification of works in parks. This will enable essential functions such as, but not limited to, litter picking and grass cutting to take place in all parks and green spaces.
Saving £500,000 in 2014

R-PL-012 Trees
Review tree planting and maintenance service
All future tree planting will be absorbed into the PIPs (planting in primary schools) tree planting scheme (involving primary school children) which will introduce 36,000 new trees to the city over 3 years.
Saving £200,000 in 2014, £100,000 in 2015

R-PL-019 Public
Toilets
Review public toilet provision
Closure of 22 of the 23 public toilets across the city, except the weekend temporary toilets in the city centre and keeping one city centre toilet open. Increased promotion of the toilet scheme where cafes and other business allow customers to use their toilets and use of other public buildings in those areas.
Saving £500,000 in 2014

R-PL-014 Parks
Review Environment and Leisure project team
This team works with the Park groups and Environmental sub groups in delivering improvements and schemes that maintain and improve parks. This proposal will offset costs within the revenue budget and recharge them to capital schemes or development projects.
Saving £228,000 in 2014

The BPF committee is hoping to arrange a meeting with Bristol Parks to better understand the full implications before making our response.

The consultation closes on Monday December 30, 2013

There are some public meetings next week where you can put your views to the Mayor: click here for details