Bristol mayor sets up three cross-party budget reviews

Bristol mayor George Ferguson has set up three cross-party groups to examine various budget proposals.

The groups have been launched following the success of the review of residential homes and day care in the city.

The groups are:

• Community safety – Cllrs Gus Hoyt, Pete Levy, Doug Naysmith and Alastair Watson; supported by council officers Gillian Douglas and Rick Palmer;

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• Capital programme (swimming pool and waste recycling centre) – Cllrs Simon Cook, Jon Rogers, Mark Weston, Mark Bradshaw; supported by council officers Tracey Morgan and Peter Robinson;

• Housing and empty homes – Cllrs Ron Stone, Cheryl Ann, Richard Eddy, Tess Green; supported by council officer Nick Hooper.

These groups are expected to meet two or three times during the coming days and weeks and to bring forward proposals in advance of the council's budget meeting in February for Mr Ferguson to consider.

Mr Ferguson said: "This is a common sense way of moving forward over the next few weeks on these important issues.

"I would stress that as the £35 million savings requirement isn't going to go away, there is no value in having these groups report back proposing removing current proposals without also identifying alternative savings to balance the budget."

In the meantime, the Mayor is also fully supporting the existing Scrutiny process of his and his cabinet's budget proposals, especially in respect of equalities issues. He is also fully respecting the right of the four individual party groups to propose their own budget amendments, as is the usual practice.