The Our City insert Budget Special

1. Bristol’s budget
2010–11
A message from the
Leader of the Council,
Cllr Barbara Janke
Bristol City Council has We are doing this because we want to You can read more about our budget
published its draft budget build on Bristol’s strength in green proposals on the council’s website at
industries and we know digital growth www.bristol.gov.uk/
for the public to comment will provide jobs and opportunities to budgetconsultation
on – pledging to protect help keep us out of recession in future.
We’d like to know what you think, so
services to vulnerable We will keep the council tax increase please fill in the form on our website.
people, invest for a down to 2%. That means 50p a week
sustainable recovery and for an average (Band D) home.
keep council tax down. We believe the council needs to invest
to save for the future. For example,
Our priorities are very clear. We are making our buildings more energy Cllr Barbara Janke (Liberal Democrat)
putting an extra £4.6 million into efficient and increasing our improved Leader of the Council
health and adult care to meet effectiveness on waste collection will
growing demand. save us money in the medium and
long term.
We are increasing our investment in
green ICT for the council and We expect to gain £3 million in the
expanding digital facilities to parts of coming year from our ongoing
the city where there is low take-up programme transforming the way the
by £650,000. council works. This money will be
ploughed back into protecting frontline
services where it is needed most.
5 www.bristol.gov.uk
www.bristol.gov.uk

2. The council’s
budget today
Building for the future
Where the money comes
Our ability to invest in major long-term
facilities, like new buildings, will probably be Bristol’s docks New council homes
from (2009–10) reducing over coming years. Work on the city docks includes urgent repairs and Spring will see the launch of construction work on 11 sites in
Other £3.8m (1%) replacement work on the 140-year-old Victorian lock system. the north of Bristol where a total of 46 new council homes
Area based grant This is both because we anticipate that we Phases 1 and 2 of the work – costing £11 million – is planned will be built.
£23.8m (6.5%) Council tax £174.3m
(47.8%)
will be getting less money for new buildings to be completed in May.
The scheme is funded by
Government revenue
from the government, and also because our The complex engineering work has involved new lock gates being the Homes and
support grant £30.5m ability to raise as much money ourselves by installed at Junction Lock, the upgrading of the highway swing bridge Communities Agency and
(8.4%) and the installation of individual oil hydraulic power packs for will include a mixture of
selling off our own land and buildings that operating the bridge, gates, sluices and paddles. two, three and four-
we don’t need any more will be reduced Future works, which will be covered by Phase 3, include Netham Lock
bedroom houses and two-
bedroom bungalows.
because of the recession. and Weir water and flood control mechanisms. These improvements
will help ensure that the docks can thrive for decades to come.
We will however over the next financial year
be seeing lots of progress on some particular
building schemes.
Hengrove Healthplex
Photo: Bristol News and Media
Business rates £132.3m
Work is set to start in coming months on the £22.6 million
(36.3%) state-of-the-art Hengrove Healthplex. Local residents can
expect to see the contractor’s hoardings going up in spring and
New steel lock
Where the money goes (2009–10) the diggers and cranes moving in. gates being
installed
Other £10.4m (2.8%) Once completed, visitors will be able to enjoy first-class sporting
activities, including a 10-lane, 50-metre swimming pool with booms
Regeneration
and moveable floors, and a learner pool with a moveable floor. The
£4.1m (1.1%)
Corporate support
services £13.7m
(3.8%)
Adult community care
£121.1m (33.2%)
poolside itself will feature spectator seating for 400, ideal for hosting
local and regional swimming galas.
The Healthplex will also offer a multi-purpose gym featuring 150
Our schools
Interest on borrowing fitness stations, a four court sports hall, healthy living zone and a café. Planning permission has been granted for a new £5 million primary school
for capital projects There will also be a new car park, and a public plaza linking the facility building on the Brunel Field site in Bishopston and work is now underway, ready
£15.9m (4.4%) to the community hospital to be developed next door. for the first intake of reception children in September.
Leisure and
recreation
Projects to refurbish and extend Parson Street These are Ashton Park, Cotham, St Bede’s,
£30.1m and Bankleaze primary schools are at the St Bernadette and St Mary Redcliffe and
(8.3%) detailed design stage, as is work to refurbish Temple – as well as providing a new building
Victoria Park Primary, following the for Florence Brown Special School. The first
amalgamation of the infant and junior projects are expected to be ready before the
schools, and to create a new school building end of the year.
for Sea Mills Primary School. The LEP is also providing a new building for
The feasibility study for the refurbishment Oasis Academy Bristol, extending and
and extension of Elmlea Infant School has refurbishing Bristol Cathedral Choir School and
Transport, been extended to look at a range of planning to redevelop Colston’s Girls’ School.
Photo: Neil Phillips/Skanska
roads and
planning
different alternatives. Bristol deserves the highest quality facilities
£30.6m (8.4%) The council is working with the Local Education to match the highest quality services we can
Children’s services Pupils from the Bridge Learning Campus, one of
Partnership (LEP) to rebuild and extend five provide. Despite tightening our belt, we have
Housing and environmental £85.8m (23.5%) the completed projects in the Building Schools for
services £53.0m (14.5%) secondary schools under Wave 4 of the Building lots to look forward to over the next year as the Future programme
The entrance and pool hall at the Hengrove Healthplex Schools for the Future programme. this building work continues.
www.bristol.gov.uk 6 7 www.bristol.gov.uk

3. Spending money on Bristol’s priorities
With these budget proposals, the amount of money Most of the budgets we set aside for services don’t Below are some of the most significant changes
Bristol City Council has to spend on services (our change very much from one year to the next, as those we are proposing to make to our spending, so you
‘revenue budget’) will be £393.4 million next year. services continue to be delivered year-in, year-out. can tell us whether you think these are the right
The amount we have to spend on long-term physical When deciding our overall budget proposals decisions for us to make.
improvements like new buildings (our ‘capital however, we try hard to reflect what we understand
budget’) will be an estimated £89 million. are local people’s priorities in our spending.
Priority: Spending your money most Priority: Improving the environment Priority: Improving our high-skilled Priority: Looking after the most
efficiently, and coping with and looking after your future, and promoting the city’s vulnerable people
cost pressures neighbourhood sustainable economic growth in the city
In some areas, our costs will unavoidably rise. At the same time, From April we will need to spend £100,000 more than this year We think that Bristol’s long-term health lies largely in Every council in the country has a duty to make sure that its
our plans for next year to be as efficient as possible mean that on our waste collection and disposal – largely because of the securing more and more high-skilled, well-paid jobs for the child protection arrangements are as good as possible. And this
we should be able to provide broadly the same level of services rising cost of landfill tax, where the government charges us city – particularly in areas like new technology, in the cultural is even clearer after the tragic case in London of Baby P.
as at present, whilst saving £12.3 million from our budget. more each year for every ton of waste that needs ultimately to and creative sectors, and in green jobs in addressing That’s why next financial year we’ll be spending an extra
be dumped. climate change. £400,000 in this area, largely in employing more social workers.
For example, we’ll need to set aside £831,000 from our budget to pay
for existing services that were previously paid for by a special grant This rising cost is much higher in many other parts of the country, and That’s why next financial year we’ll We provide support to many older
from the government that has been phased out. This spending is on is kept lower in Bristol because local people are better at recycling. be spending £650,000 to: people in the city – a range of
important areas such as reducing teenage pregnancy and education for That’s why it’s important to recycle not just for the future of the planet, high-quality services, giving
l develop and implement a city
young offenders. but to keep your bills down. people as much support as
energy plan – working out how
Where we charge for some services, we will be reviewing our policies in We know that in many areas, the best people to decide how services Bristol can flourish whilst still possible, whilst still allowing
a number of areas from April. In each case, we’ll consider the impact of should be provided at a local level are the people who live and work cutting carbon emissions and them to live the independent lives
the charges we make on the people who use those services, consulting there. That is why we are developing our 14 Neighbourhood reducing oil use they choose with dignity and
first, and linking charges to people’s ability to pay as appropriate. Partnerships and Neighbourhood Forums across the city, to let you have respect. From April we are
l grow the city’s digital economy planning to spend an extra
We think though that we can reasonably increase our income from more influence where you live. To start with, we’ll be transferring £13
million of existing money and services to these 14 areas, and also l make sure that disadvantaged £330,000 on very sheltered
charges by £300,000 in areas such as community support and housing to support one particular
supported living. spending a new £500,000 to help make it work most effectively. communities gain
the full benefit from this high group of older people needing
Overall, in tough economic times, we think we can do with fewer senior People regularly tell us how much they love the parks around the city, more intensive care support.
technology future.
managers too. That’s why our plans include spending £180,000 less by but often say how they don’t feel as safe as they could be in using these
green spaces. That is why next financial year we propose to spend an Details of the rest of our proposed Details of many other areas of
having fewer of our higher paid managers. spending changes looking after
extra £250,000 providing a park keeper for every park in the city. spending changes are available at
Details of the rest of our proposed spending changes are available at www.bristol.gov.uk/ the most vulnerable are also
www.bristol.gov.uk/budgetconsultation Again, details of the rest of our proposed spending changes are available at www.bristol.gov.uk/
budgetconsultation
available at www.bristol.gov.uk/budgetconsultation budgetconsultation
www.bristol.gov.uk 8 9 www.bristol.gov.uk

4. Getting involved Budget timetable
We would like to know your views on the draft budget The council will be considering the draft budget in a
proposals set out in the previous pages. series of meetings in January and February.
Our budget consultation has been open since December, and closes on You are welcome to attend all meetings and, for the Scrutiny and
Monday, 18 January. If you haven’t already done so, please provide Cabinet meetings, make submissions or ask questions. All meetings
feedback online at www.bristol.gov.uk/budgetconsultation – or are at The Council House, College Green, Bristol.
complete the form below. Meetings are scheduled for:
You can also: • Monday, 11 January (Scrutiny)
l submit a statement or • Monday, 13 January (Scrutiny)
question to any of the council • Monday, 18 January (Scrutiny)
meetings due to consider the • Thursday, 28 January (Cabinet)
draft budget in January and
• Tuesday, 23 February (Full Council).
February. See Budget
timetable for details The results of this consultation will be submitted to the Cabinet
meeting on Thursday, 28 January, and Bristol’s budget for 2010–11
l raise any specific issue you
will be finalised at the Full Council meeting on Tuesday, 23 February.
have with your local ward
councillors. Contact details These two meetings will be broadcast over the internet at
can be found at www.bristol.gov.uk/webcast where you can watch councillors
www.bristol.gov.uk/ discuss the budget live or review the meetings afterwards.
councillors If you wish to make a representation to the Scrutiny or Cabinet
l get involved in the online meetings you must provide your statement in writing by 12pm on
debate about the draft the last working day before. If you wish to ask a question at these
budget proposals at meetings, you should submit this in writing at least three clear
www.askbristol.com working days in advance.
Neighbourhood Partnerships and Neighbourhood Forums will enable n Statements and questions should be sent to:
you to have more say in how services are provided in your Democratic Services
neighbourhood and how money allocated to your area should be spent. Rm 220, The Council House, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TR
Find out more on page 20, visit Tel: 0117 922 2362
www.bristol.gov.uk/neighbourhoodpartnerships Fax: 0117 922 2146
or call 0117 903 6825. Textbox: 0117 357 4444
Email: democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk
#
Your comments on the draft budget
l Please return your comments as soon as possible, and by Monday, 18 January. If you have access to the internet it’s easy to
complete these questions online. Go to www.bristol.gov.uk/budgetconsultation
1 What one change or improvement to council services would make a 3 Would you change anything in the budget proposals to help deliver
real difference to you or your family? improvements you want to see most? (Up to three)
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2 Are there any services you think we should spend less on whilst still .............................................................
meeting the need to deliver vital services and care for others?
c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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............................................................... Return this form to Budget Consultation 2010/11 (CH/U15),
FREEPOST SWB535, Bristol BS1 5BR
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