Bristol’s Liberal Democrats and Conservatives have agreed a deal over the city council’s Budget for the coming year.
Tory group leader Peter Abraham told the Evening Post his party would not oppose the Budget, due to be presented later this month, in return for extra money for day services, youth provision, restoring the Book Fund (for library books) and pest control.
Council leader Barbara Janke welcomed the deal, and said she wanted to find “common ground” with Labour and the Greens over their proposed amendments.
“We have had very constructive talks with the Conservative group and they have put forward an amendment that we are happy to accept.
“We look forward to further discussions with Labour and the Green Party group, in which we hope to find common ground over some of their proposals.
“We are aiming to emerge from this process with a budget that serves the best interests of Bristol and will do all in our power to bring this about.”
Another 350 jobs are set to go at Bristol City Council, as the administration aims to take another £21million out of the authority’s budget.
This is the second stage of a plan to cut overall spending by £70million by 2015, after £28m was cut during the last year – with 390 jobs going at the council.
The Conservatives on the council were largely pleased with the plans when they were presented in November, but Labour said the budget showed “the vulnerable in society are having to pay the price for a global economic crisis caused by financiers who should have known better”.
Up to £2m has been taken out of the budget for elderly care, as the council moves to provide care for more older people in their homes, while £1m is taken from youth services.
Labour are proposing a discount on council tax of 3% for those over 75 years old. The change would benefit those living in homes with a council tax banding of A to C. For young people aged 16 to 19, they are proposing a new Learners’ Support Fund with either a proposed £100 discount on student travel for those attending college or alternatively a £100 voucher for agreed academic books.
Meanwhile, the Greens are proposing a council tax rise of 3.49% to avoid future cuts in council services.
The increase would mean the surrender of a financial offer from the government in exchange for a freezing of tax. The Greens said the acceptance of this ‘bribe’ was a false economy.
“An increase in Council Tax of 3.49%, well below the level of inflation, would put £1.8m back into this year’s budget and produce £6.3m in each future year,” said Green Party leader Tess Green.
“The cost to the average household would be 90p per week, and for this small sum we could preserve front-line services for the most vulnerable in our city.
“The recent performance of Bristol City Council has been unfavourably compared with that of Nottingham, and it is interesting to note that Nottingham is one of the authorities preparing to ignore the Government bribe and introduce a similar council tax increase to the one we propose.”
Darren, Lib Dems do not have a majority on Bristol City Council so we need to work with other parties and seek compromises.
I understand that our negotiating team have been in constructive discussions with all three other parties, and the Lib Dems may be in a position to support some amendments from those three parties, or at least help make some of them happen.
Interestingly, it is Labour who seem more supportive of our budget than the Tories!
The latter have been quoted as being unhappy about our £50m capital stimulus, "Investing in Bristol's Future". I believe that Labour are supportive of our major additional investment in education, transport, new housing for older people, highways, parks, recycling centre and a new swimming pool in East Bristol.
My impression is that Labour agree with us that investing in infrastructure can stimulate the local economy, bringing more business and jobs to the city. The Bristol Conservatives in contrast would rather not borrow to spend such additional money.
It's a good bit of spin from Jon above but what is very clear is the the cuts coalition nationally is being replicated locally.
The Lib Dems and Tories combined now have the votes to steamroller all other opposition and proposals.
All of Jon's spin is a desperate attempt to cover up the fact that Bristol Tories are intensely happy and supportive of the Lib Dems budget.
Since May 2011, Liberal Democrats no longer have a majority on Bristol City Council.
Labour, Conservative and Green Parties could take back control at any time (as they did in May 2007 when they all voted for Labour's Helen Holland to lead the council)
In this situation it is vital that Bristol Liberal Democrats look outward to ways in which we can work with the other parties. I know that Barbara Janke, leader of Bristol City Council, wrote to the leaders of the other three parties on the council, seeking joint working on Bristol City Council budget. We have no monopoly on wisdom and are genuinely keen to look at suggestions for amendments from the other parties.
The Conservative Party have suggested that they will not oppose the Liberal Democrat budget if the Liberal Democrats agree to their amendments to put extra money into day services, youth services, library services and pest control. This seems a constructive offer.
I know that cabinet colleagues have also been in constructive discussions with the Green Party and with the Labour Party. It is in the interests of all Bristol residents that we agree a strong and workable council budget for 2012/13.
We have a strong, diverse and innovative city. Together we can make it even better.