‘Blue sky thinking not allowed – frustrations of Bristol City Council’s budget’

The Green Party councillors have proposed £1m of amendments to the mayor’s budget for Bristol this year.

This includes additional funding to help those at risk of homelessness, building better children’s homes that cost less to run, and preventing advertising billboards being introduced in parks.

They would be paid for by reallocating some of the money currently earmarked to boost reserves, and by increasing fees for skips and scaffolding licences to levels similar to other city councils.

Green Party councillors have spoken out against plans to introduce advertising in Bristols parks

We think that all our amendments are smart and progressive; we spotted opportunities to raise income and use money more wisely and we hope to persuade the other parties to support them.

However, £1m is a drop in the ocean for a council whose annual revenue budget is £355.8m. So, where are the ambitious proposals? Where is the blue sky thinking? The truth is we have plenty, but we are not allowed to input them.

The council’s budget-setting process makes long-term thinking impossible, especially for opposition parties. In order to be considered eligible, all budget amendments must have a net financial impact of zero over the next five years, and preferably within one year.

This means that any big proposals that take a few years to roll out, or require even modest investment in exchange for income downstream, are forbidden.

The Greens have been investigating many such proposals. Our top four are:

1: A progressive council tax:

Increase council tax for the top 10 per cent to reduce council cuts. Council tax is inherently regressive as rates are capped for the most expensive properties. (A £20m house in Westminster has a 40 per cent lower annual council tax bill then a £350,000 home in Brislington*).

Only national government has the power to change this. However, we can’t afford to wait for national government, so, if we ran the council, we would investigate a temporary fix to make council tax progressive now: a referendum on a large increase in council tax across all properties, but coupled with an equally large expansion of the council tax reduction scheme.

The scheme is currently used to help low income households pay their council tax, but could be expanded to middle income households. This would mean that only households in the top 10 per cent of income would see any increase in cost, while 90 per cent would see no change.

The Greens are campaigning for more action to tackle Bristols air pollution crisis

2: A charging Clean Air Zone and/or Congestion Charge Zone:

Air pollution is killing hundreds of Bristolians per year and needs to be cleaned up now. A charging zone, similar to London’s congestion charge, to address air quality, congestion, or preferably both, would reduce air pollution and raise income, which the council could spend on improvements to public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure.

Air pollution is environmental inequality in a nutshell – the highest rates of related deaths and illnesses are in the more deprived city centre areas (where there is generally less car ownership), while there is a much smaller impact in quieter, more affluent, suburbs.

To prevent undue cost impact on poorer households, the council could introduce a scrappage scheme for the most polluting vehicles or other forms of subsidy to help people transition to less polluting forms of transport.

3: A Workplace Parking Levy (WPL):

Labour-controlled Nottingham City Council introduced a WPL in 2011. The WPL places a modest charge on employers providing 11 or more parking places, and invests the revenue in sustainable transport measures, such as new tram routes, electric buses, cycling and public transport smartcards.

It is the first local authority in Europe to implement such a scheme, which is increasingly being recognised as an innovative solution, and is already encouraging more sustainable travel behaviour across Nottingham.

Congestion on the city’s roads is falling and air pollution is being reduced as commuters switch to the efficient public transport that is being paid for by the levy. And no mass-movement of businesses out of the city centre has occurred, as feared by some.

Nottingham’s integrated approach to sustainable public transport and parking is outstanding, setting an example for other cities to follow. Greens think that Bristol should follow it.

The Greens say tourists should pay to see the sights of Bristol

4: A Tourist Tax:

Many European cities apply a small levy onto the cost of hotel rooms, which helps to pay for infrastructure and attractions that the tourists use. Conservative-controlled Bath & North-East Somerset Council is looking into introducing one, as are some staff from Bristol City Council.

It would require approval from national government and/or the West of England metro mayor (it is currently unclear which of these has the final say). So the project has potential and would benefit the city, but requires political leadership from the Labour administration to make it happen.

In fact, that is the story with all of these ideas. Bristol’s Labour administration has the power to bring in (or at least push for) these progressive proposals which would help to lessen the effects of the government’s austerity programme, reduce congestion and clean up our toxic air.

The opposition do not.

The question is will they be brave enough to? As the Labour Party has sacked a minister for proposing a progressive council tax, sadly our money is on no.

The Greens are the party of long-term progressive politics, so we will continue pursuing bold ideas like these. If there were more of us in the council, we could look at making them happen.

• Council tax in 17/18 for a band E £350k house in Brislington (eg 108 West Town Lane BS4 5DT) is £2199. Council tax for a band H £10million house in Westminster in the same year £1370.

Carla Denyer is a Green Party councillor for Clifton Down.

Read more: Call for Bristol councillors to give up parking perks