Bristol’s Green Councillors are celebrating one year of leading Bristol City Council.

Having promised to get the basics right and improve trust in the council, one year on Greens have been tackling head on many of the problems left by the previous administration and delivering for Bristol.

Their work includes:

• Getting council finances under control and setting the Greens’ first ever balanced budget
• Significantly improving Children’s Services according to Ofsted, and invested £27.8 million in children, young people and families
• Dealing with failures identified by the regulator of social housing by investing £21.6 million in investment in high rise blocks, £19 million in day-to-day repairs, and millions more to improve specific areas such as electrical testing, fire alarm, and tackle damp and mould.
• Addressing years of neglect in the allotment service
• Implementing ambitious transport projects including the first liveable neighbourhood trial in Bristol
• Securing new bus routes and free bus passes for care leavers.

They have also increased pay for social workers, attracted more investment than ever for energy efficiency through the Bristol Climate Action Investment scheme and made significant steps to tackle the climate emergency.

Cllr Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council said: “Despite years of financial underperformance under Bristol Labour and 14 years of Conservative cuts to council finances, we have set a balanced budget, investing millions into council housing, tackling homelessness, adults and community services and children and education.

“We have also improved the savings delivery targets and the way in which we find and identify risks to the council.”

“But we know that local authorities are still under threat. While councils up and down the country fight to keep afloat, I will continue to lobby this government for greater funding so we can keep delivering for Bristol.”

Improving work culture

Under the Greens, the work culture across the council has vastly improved, following a survey in September that said that one in four staff said it had become a better place to work.

Cllr Paula O’Rourke, Vice-Chair of the HR committee said, “After six months in charge, one in four council employees said that the council had become a better place to work. One year on, I am hearing from friends and colleagues that the atmosphere throughout the council workforce has been completely transformed.”

 

 

 

“We are committed to working with officers at every level to not only make sure our vision for the city gets delivered, but to make sure the Council remains a positive place to work.”

More recently, a report from Ofsted found significant improvements to Bristol’s children’s services since 2023, and that social work practitioners ‘feel proud to work in Bristol’.

The report notes that “determined leaders, including elected members, have shown energy and commitment to improving the response provided to children” and that “a positive and refreshing approach is being taken… to increasing staff retention and resilience’.

A national platform 

Almost immediately as Labour entered government, a Green motion called on the Government to end local government austerity, and Green Councillors Rob Bryher and Ed Fraser have both expressed their disappointment at how little has changed.

Cllr Emma Edwards – “As the only UK major city where Greens are in charge, our leadership and Bristol Central MP Carla Denyer are influencing the Government, calling out Labour’s continued cruel cuts, leading the way on tackling climate change and speaking up against the Government’s complicity in the genocide in Gaza.”

“People in Bristol voted in Green councillors because they know we work hard for our communities, and I look forward to continue to do so into the next few years.”

Improving decision making 

Greens have also reaffirmed their commitment to transparent and inclusive decision making.

Cllr Heather Mack, Deputy Leader of the Council said, “The continuation of policies that put the interests of a few over working people and public services means that trust in institutions is at an all time low.”

“As a council, we are prioritising rebuilding this trust with the people of Bristol. More decisions are made in public, more meetings of councillors are streamed online and public engagement has significantly increased.

“Despite the challenges presented by continued austerity, we know we still have work to do. We will continue to be transparent and honest with Bristol whilst telling you what we’re doing, and why, to make the city better for everyone.”