Hello from Serena and George, your Green Party councillors for Clifton Down. We hope you have settled into the New Year. We’re looking forward to working hard on your behalf in 2025.
Budget news
Early options for the Council’s budget have been published and, at time of writing, were to be considered in public on January 15 and 16 by the cross-party Finance Sub-Committee. This is the step before drafting the budget, giving elected members and the public early sight of all options and a chance to provide feedback before a final draft budget is produced and voted on by Full Council at the end of February.
This budget will be built on collaboration and encourage contributions and ideas from all. It will be the first budget produced under the new committee system, with a more inclusive and participatory approach to budget setting, involving all policy committees, the cross-party Finance Sub-Committee, and engagement with partners.
It will not be an easy budget to set. Across the country, councils of all shapes and sizes face bankruptcy. This national crisis in local government finances has been driven by rising operating costs, a lack of government funding, a national failure to reform the country’s health and care system, a national housing crisis, and a growing need for vital safeguarding services for vulnerable children and adults.
Bristol is no exception and will face bankruptcy if we can’t close a £52m funding gap over the next five years. Too often in the past, savings haven’t been made by the previous administration, the can has been kicked down the road, and we have overspent our budget.
Work needs to start straight away. The Finance Sub-Committee will offer observations on the early options to help finalise a set of draft proposals. Those proposals will be part of a draft budget presented to Strategy and Resources Committee in early February. The draft budget will then be presented to the Full Council on 25th February.
The council is committed to being open with you, and will publish final proposals as soon as they are available. George and I will use this column to share more detail about proposals and how you can be involved in any next steps.
Area Committees Funding
The council’s nine area committees make decisions on how funds such as the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) local projects funding and some S106 funding is spent to support improvements in their areas. As councillors for Clifton Down we sit on the Area 3 committee along with councillors from Clifton, Cotham and Hotwells & Harbourside wards.
The next round of funding is now open in a process that will take place over the year. The first step is to gather local ideas and priorities for projects to submit to the council by 28th February. The type of projects could include improvements to open space, tree planting, or small road improvements.
We’re already in contact with community groups to find out what they would like to see. But we also want to hear from you if you have an idea for a project. Do get in touch with us if so.
You can find more information about the process and the types of projects that get funding on the council website under ‘Funding for Local Projects’ and the ‘Area committee funding process’.
Councillor surgeries
We hold regular surgeries on the first Friday of the month from midday to 1.30pm at Redland Library on Whiteladies Road. Do come and speak to us about any local issues. Or email us Cllr.george.calascione@bristol.gov.uk Cllr.serena.ralston@bristol.gov.uk We’d love to hear from you.