Bristol Downs committee make progress over its future

The chair of the committee which runs the Downs said she is "very pleased" with the changes that are being impleneted

Progress has been made over how a city's large green space is run, according to a local committee.

A series of reforms were brought in to overhaul the running of the Downs in Bristol in 2022.

The Downs are run by a committee made up of councillors and members of the Merchant Venturers.

Councillor Paula O'Rourke, the outgoing chair of the committee, said having "very clear targets" enabled her to accomplish her goals.

She was previously Lord Mayor of Bristol City Council, a role which usually lasts one year and includes chairing the Downs committee.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that Ms O'Rourke said the "weakest link" of the committee was the Lord Mayor, especially after experiencing the "difficult" role herself for a year.

She added: "Somebody has to drive it, and unless you have a Lord Mayor who has got specific interests in this, it doesn't necessarily follow that that's going to happen."

Controversies on the Downs include previous plans to use part of the parkland as overspill parking for the former Bristol Zoo in Clifton.

This saw campaigners Downs for People take the committee to court, ramping up steep legal fees.

The issue also prompted questions about why the Merchant Venturers were involved in the running on the space, as most other parks in the city are managed solely by the council.

A landmark survey was launched in spring 2022 to ask the public about how the Downs should be governed.

Reforms include setting up an advisory panel with the volunteer group Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge (FODAG), improving communications with the public and hiring a fundraising manager to source external grants and funding to pay for the parkland's upkeep.