Councillors have backed calls to halt a controversial transfer of strategic transport staff from Bristol City Council to the West of England. Upcoming staff cuts as part of next year’s budget could see many officers forced to move from the council to the combined authority.
The controversial plans would see staff from the strategic transport team transferred to the West of England combined authority, and the council’s city design team disbanded. Now a majority of councillors have backed calls on the mayor to pause the transfer plans.
A motion put forward by the Greens, at a full council meeting on January 10, called on the mayor to pause the plans, and let them be considered by the full council as part of the budget setting process. Forty councillors voted in favour, while 19 Labour councillors abstained.
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Green Councillor Ed Plowden, who put forward the motion, said: “We need to make rapid and transformational changes to our cities to tackle the climate emergency. The One City study found that decarbonising Bristol’s transport by 2030 is potentially achievable with a 50% reduction in car miles travelled in the city and switching remaining vehicles to Ultra Low emissions standards.
“Meanwhile we are embarking on two of the largest regeneration projects in Bristol in living memory — the Temple Quarter and Western Harbour. To do all this well we need expertise embedded in the council for the long haul. But incredibly the cabinet is proposing unilaterally to transfer all responsibility for transport strategy to the West of England and disband the in-house expertise in the City Design service.”
Last month, internal advisers at the council warned that the plans could end up costing the city more than they would save. The council might have to in future rely on expensive private consultants, and face fees for abandoning ongoing projects. But Labour insisted the cuts could save more than £1 million a year, which otherwise might have to fall elsewhere.
Labour Cllr Tim Rippington said: “This is one of many difficult decisions that we will all need to consider next month. This Labour administration has spent seven years doing everything we can to protect our residents from the tsunami of austerity cuts that have come our way. But now we really do have our backs against the wall and there are no good choices left.
“This proposal would save the council around £1.2 million a year. If this doesn’t go ahead, other savings will need to be found. Transferring strategic transport staff to the West of England — the authority with power over strategic transport — is a logical proposal.
“We recognise that the combined authority is far from perfect, but Bristol City Council will continue to work with the West of England on these projects and will still veto any regional proposals that aren’t in our interests. Supporting this motion may mean a reduced budget for parks, libraries, support for the worst off, or other frontline services.”
