News / Politics
Mayor launches new budget simulator
Bristol City Council faces the grim task of cutting £60 million from its budget by 2020.
So who better to make the calls than a bunch of 11-year-olds?
The city’s mayor launched his new budget simulator to unlikely saviours at Oasis Academy John Williams in Hengrove
Marvin Rees visited pupils to trial the simulator which goes online for a month in a bid to allow the public to set their priorities for the council services and suggest where savings can be made.
But his plan slightly backfired when the pupils decided to cut his wages and cut funding to the mayor’s office.
Year Seven pupils Addison Lea and Jude Richardson shared their proposed budgets with Bristol24/7.
Addison said: “So, I increased taxes first of all, everything to the max and we reduced the mayor’s salary.”
“We reduced the money that goes into the mayor’s office by 25 percent,” added Jude.
Rees also used his visit to speak to the group of 11–16-year-olds to engage them in local democracy.
He said: “It’s going to open up the kind of decisions we have to make to the people in Bristol. I also hope as well, for students to engage with that and increase their political awareness and political literacy.
He added: “We want to include people in the budget because we want to hear about their priorities.
“It’s important that people have a voice, we saw the results of people having a voice last week. It makes for weak societies if people don’t have a voice, but also I’d say it makes for a balanced society.”
The public are being encouraged by the mayor to take part in the budget simulator tool and to share their results on social media.
Read more: Rees questioned as Corbyn row deepens
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