Clifton Down Greenvine
Local and Bristol-wide news from your Green Party Councillors
March 2018
Contents
Local news
Bristol-wide and Council news
Other Issues
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Clive and Carla outside Redland Library
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Vassili Papastavrou of Bristol Tree Forum checking on local street trees with Clive
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Local news - Clifton Down
Saving our street trees
Clive has been helping fight the Mayor's decision to stop street tree maintenance, and is pleased to report that the decision has now been reversed!
Back in March 2017 we were shocked to hear that the Council was risking increased insurance claims from falling branches, tripping over roots and house subsidence, plus flooding and leaf clearance, just because one Council department had not talked to another. A yewturn... for a year at least. Hard work and joined up thinking from Clive and the Tree Forum saved the day.
Clifton East Residents' Parking consultation open now
The Traffic Regulation Order (TRO; the lengthy legal document necessary before any change in road markings) for CE Residents' Parking Zone has now been published for consultation. The deadline for responding is 22nd March. Go to http://www.bristol.gov.uk/trafficorders and see the section entitled ‘Proposed Traffic Order for Clifton East Residents’ Parking Scheme Review (RPS), Central, Clifton, Clifton Down and Stoke Bishop Wards (CAE/RGW/P-1077)’, near the bottom of the page. You should also see notices on lampposts on affected streets advertising the same information.
In contrast to the earlier consultations which were open to all suggestions, this is the final stage in the process where the Council officers, in consultation with us, put forward their detailed plans. The proposals should create another 80 spaces for residents, resolve some safety issues and protect the area south of Oakfield Rd from spill-over evening parking from the Triangle and Clifton Village. The majority of proposals have been developed in close cooperation with residents, so we hope you will be happy with them. If you spot any issues, please follow the instructions on the website above to submit comments.
Friends of Redland Library meeting postponed
The Friends of Redland Library (FORL) AGM and Libraries update, which was scheduled for 7:15pm this evening, has been postponed due to the extreme weather warnings. It will be rescheduled.
To be notified of the new meeting date, subscribe to the FORL mailing list by emailing friendsofredlandlibrary@gmail.com
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Bristol-wide and Council news
Greens amend Council Budget to Reduce Cuts
Green Party Councillors successfully amended the Mayor's budget to reduce some of the cuts to frontline services at the Council's budget meeting. These included proposals to:
The Green amendments reduce some of the worst impact of cuts to frontline services but this is sadly still a drop in the ocean in a budget which proposes further cuts of £34 million. This is why Greens could not support the cuts in the budget and also campaigned for new progressive funding proposals to roll back cuts, despite the fact that the current budget process prevents opposition parties inputting these.
These include a more progressive Council Tax, a Clean Air Zone/Congestion Charge, a Workplace Parking Levy and a Tourist Tax.
Protecting our Parks
Greens have been working to protect our well loved green spaces across the city including:
Clean, Green and Safe Streets
Green Councillors work daily to follow up on resident concerns about litter, tagging and street safety as we believe our streets should be safe and healthy places to walk, cycle and play. After years of campaigning for 20mph, Greens have recently welcomed an authoritative report that shows that 20mph reduces fatalities, saves our city money and is supported by over 70% of people in Bristol.
Greens are also excited that Bristol will be leading by example, having been awarded funding to promote electric vehicles and provide charging points across the city. A consultation on how best to spend this money is running until 9th March and Greens would like to encourage residents to respond to the survey.
Improving Council efficiency
Clive has extensive experience improving processes within organisations, so when new scrutiny arrangements were set up at the Council, he leapt at the chance to practise his skills and chose the big spend areas: Adult Social Care and Children’s Care, which eat up £200m of the Council’s £350m budget. Massive cuts to funding can be softened a bit by joined up thinking, improving service and saving some money. So far he has process-mapped both areas, and identified areas for savings and improvements. This work lead directly to one of our successful budget amendments.
Working for you across the City
Greens in Bristol have been working on a whole host of other issues across the city including:
Housing - Greens have been working to:
- Take stronger action to regulate landlords here>>
- Mend Britain's broken housing market here>>
- Fund homelessness prevention here>>
Planning for our city - Greens have been working to:
- Campaign for the Arena to be built in the city centre here>>
- Challenge airport expansion here>>
- Protect our music venues here>>
As well as
- Oppossing the use of tasers by our police here>>
- Calling for improvements in Council transparency and scrutiny here>>
- Getting action on single use plastics here>>
Opposing Brexit - Our Green MEP Molly Scott Cato has been:
- Exposing the 'bad boys' behind Brexit here>>
- Launching a legal case against the Government on the Brexit secret studies here>>
- Calling for MPs to have a say in the final Brexit deal here>>
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Other Issues
Bristol Waste Collection Calendar
Find out when your bins and recycling are collected here>>
Get your voice heard!
We would like to encourage all residents to feed into consultations running on important issues across the city. Do have your say on:
- The Bristol Local Plan which sets out how Bristol will develop over the next 20 years here>>
- Additional licencing for houses of multiple occupancy here>>
- Electric vehicles funding for Bristol here>>
- 20mph review coming soon
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