Neighbourhood left out of funding plans for city

There are currently six committees which govern Bristol City Council

A part of Bristol has been left out of a new plan to distribute power from City Hall into local areas.

As part of the recent change in how Bristol City Council was governed under its new committee system, more decisions would be made by local neighbourhoods.

There are currently six area committees, but these are given little money and few powers.

St George, which is covered by the new "area committee six", will have much less funding than all the other parts of Bristol.

'Fair slice'

The Local Democracy Service said three more committees would soon be made, and given more funding and decisions to make.

Councillors on the public health and communities policy committee agreed that a review of the new system was needed on Friday, 23 August.

In a written statement, Green Councillor Rob Bryher, representing St George West, said: “I do not believe the proposals for area committee six provide residents of the three St George wards a fair slice of the pie."

The money for these committees comes from the community infrastructure levy (CIL), which is charged to property developers.

Some 15% of the levy is given to local areas to spend, while the rest is kept for strategic infrastructure works, such as to improve major roads.

Income from the Clean Air Zone would also help pay for transport changes in local areas, like new zebra crossings.

A new equity fund will spread money from areas with lots of development to poorer parts of Bristol, and this has £58,187 available to spend, but is expected to increase.

The amount of community infrastructure levy available to each committee varies massively.

Area committee six, covering St George, has just £6,002.04.

Meanwhile area committee seven - covering Southville, Bedminster, Windmill Hill and Filwood - has £61,236.93.

About £90,000 will be spent this year by the council on setting up the new area committees, which will cover staffing costs and booking meeting rooms.

The area committees will meet at least twice a year in person and twice a year online, with more meetings scheduled if necessary.