Call for Bristol councillors to give up parking perks

Councillors should relinquish free parking spaces and use the revenue saved to protect Bristol’s parks, argues the Green group.

Eleanor Combley is urging colleagues from all parties to give up their current ‘perks’ at City Hall and pay £600 for an annual pass, or £5 per day, to save an estimated £30,000, which could go towards safeguarding the city’s green spaces.

The rates suggested are still heavily subsidised in comparison to charges for members of the public, set at £2,000 for an annual pass and £10 per day for a book of 20 day passes. The Green group leader says this revenue could be used instead of the introduction of advertising in parks.

This comes amidst a raft of cuts as the council strives to plug a £108m deficit by 2023.

But a council source says the proposed budget amendment to stop issuing free parking permits to councillors, ex-councillors and senior staff will not generate the required income for the city’s parks.

‘Parks are essential to our mental health’

“Our parks are the lungs of our city,” said Combley.

“They are well loved by the kids who play in them, those who walk their dogs and the many people across the city without access to a garden.

“We know that parks and green spaces are essential to our mental health, which is why I am so concerned by the proposals to plaster our parks with advertising.

“Instead, I am asking my colleagues to give up their subsidised parking perks to keep our parks ad-free. This is about fairness and about us following our own rules. The council’s constitution is very clear that the allowance we are given is also to cover travel costs within the city.

“Any councillor getting the bus or the train pays for their own ticket, so why are we using taxpayers’ money to subsidise councillors who choose to drive by paying for their parking?”

She added that her suggestion has met with opposition in the past, but she feels this amendment addresses concerns of councillors, while staying true to the principle that it is not fair to subsidise motorists over those who use public transport and lower paid staff.

Councillors and senior staff currently get to park by City Hall for free

Responding on behalf of the Labour group, Margaret Hickman, councillor for Lawrence Hill, said:

“Thanks to backroom cuts and income generation, the Labour budget will balance the books for the next four years while protecting frontline council services.

“Marvin Rees’ administration is delivering for Bristol, despite continuing Tory Government austerity, which has seen our city lose £200 million since 2010.”

A council source added: “If they are claiming to be able to keep parks ad free with this intervention, they should check their sums.

“Publicly available estimates suggest that advertising would bring in at least £50,000 and the Greens say this measure would save £30,000.”

But the fact remains that there is widespread opposition to proposals to introduce advertising in the city’s parks, with almost 4,000 people signing a petition against the move.

The budget amendment will be discussed at a full council meeting on Tuesday, February 20.

Read more: Last chance to have your say on the future of Bristol’s parks