Residents given say on how council’s millions will be spent
By Millions of pounds of public money are to be devolved to local residents under plans agreed by the Cabinet last week.
From February 2010, Bristol’s Neighbourhood Partnerships will be able to decide how £13.5million of taxpayers’ money is spent in their communities on services including lighting, street cleaning and open spaces.
Bev Knott: A 'revolution' for council services
As reported by Bristol24-7 in September, the plan to devolve power down to grassroots level was hailed by council leader Barbara Janke as a way of bringing power to the people.
Neighbourhood Partnerships made up of councillors, police and residents would be able to have their say on how spending should be prioritised in their areas – using local knowledge as the basis of how services would be provided.
Final decisions would, however, be made by local councillors of the wards concerned – rather than the residents themselves.
Introducing the plan, meanwhile, will cost taxpayers £500,000 in administration — but Cllr Janke said the one-off costs in the first year would be saved over the next three to five years as the scheme gathers pace.
Councillor Bev Knott, Cabinet member for Care and Neighbourhoods, said the approach was a “revolution” in decentralising power.
“Next year will see the start of a revolution in the way many council services are provided,” he said. “Communities will be able, through their Neighbourhood Committees, to decide what are their priorities for areas like street cleaning; improvement of parks and open spaces and minor traffic schemes.
“February is the first milestone in the devolving of power to neighbourhoods with more to come over the next three years. This first slice of money – £13.5 million — is just the start in giving people greater control over council services.”
Budget allocations for some services will be equal in the first year, such as minor traffic schemes; and upkeep of community centres or other buildings. Others, such as funding for parks and maintenance of open spaces, will be based on the current estimated spend per neighbourhood.
The overall £13.5 million budget includes:
- £481,629 citywide for the cost of installing and collecting from all local recycling banks as well as the cost of flytipping at the sites;
- £4,681,636 for the maintenance of parks and open spaces within all 14 Neighbourhood Partnerships;
- £1 million citywide for the cost of highways maintenance;
- £250,000 for community safety staff for areas apart from the Cabot and Clifton Neighbourhood Policing Area which is supported through Safer Bristol;
- An allocation of £10,000 per ward to deliver projects, usually through voluntary groups, to improve the quality of life for residents
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