Mark Whitehead 14 June 2017

Bristol Council unveils new austerity proposals

Bristol City Council has unveiled plans to save £4.7m by closing libraries and street toilets, cutting school patrols and making changes to services for people with disabilities.

Instead it is proposing ‘smaller, more focused options which encourage people to take part in civic life and reduce dependency on council-funded services.’

Launching the ‘Your Neighbourhood’ consultation exercise over the plans, Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said the recent election showed people had rejected austerity and he would be asking the UK’s other major cities to join him in arguing for a ‘fairer, more sustainable deal for our cities’.

But the new proposals reflected the city’s current financial position.

He said: ‘We have no choice but to make major savings following years of government austerity and the rising cost of providing vital services to more people.

‘At the same time we want to deliver on our priorities and make Bristol a more equal city where no-one is left behind and where there is less of a need to rely on the council doing everything it once did.

‘To do that we will work more closely with partners around the city to tackle Bristol’s biggest issues and enable more people to get involved in providing services.’