Planned transport cuts progress despite plea for ‘smooth handover of power’ by councillors

Bristol councillors have made a plea for a “smooth handover of power” to the committee system in 2024 amid heavy criticism of planned staff cuts. The cuts could affect transport planners, engineers and architects at Bristol City Council.

Council chiefs are planning to transfer staff from the strategic transport team to the West of England combined authority (Weca) and disband the city design team. The two teams play “a vital role” in how Bristol develops, including guiding major new buildings and bike lanes.

But the council’s financial advisers have warned in cabinet papers that these plans would end up costing the city more money than it would save. Future projects could rely on expensive private consultants, and abandoning ongoing projects could result in fees of more than £1.3 million.

The plans were slammed by trade union representatives, Green councillors, and a former Labour cabinet member for transport, during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, December 6. Despite the concerns, the cabinet approved to move the proposals forward to the next stage.

Green councillor Ed Plowden said: “It’s vital we have expertise to shape our future city to decarbonise, with buildings and transport the most stubborn areas to reduce carbon. The two teams provide invaluable expertise to members and play a vital role in shaping our city. They generate inward investment and income within their services and other services.

“Outsourcing these teams could increase costs. It’s not clear what the proposals are, how they’re being consulted on, in what timescale, and how that runs up against the Weca audit report — which identified serious weaknesses in its functioning and recommended the unitary authorities work closely with Weca in making decisions.

“We need the capacity to do that. If the cabinet cares about the future of Bristol, we need a smooth handover of power to the committee system and a clear understanding of the role of Weca compared with the council’s. I’m afraid this is going to hamper the future committee system.”

Matthew Cockburn, a Unison steward, added: “The proposal is ill thought out, potentially hugely damaging to the city, and the way it has been communicated with staff has been clumsy. Given the city transport team carries out many essential functions and brings in large sums of money, it would be complex and probably counterproductive to dismember it.

“This also opens the door to privatisation of services, which in our experience often results in paying more for a less good service. We believe that for most work areas, training and nurturing in-house experts results in better value for money and more control over quality.”

Work done by the strategic transport team includes overseeing major transport projects, influencing planning applications for huge developments, collecting road safety data, providing cycling training to people with disabilities, and putting on school crossing patrols.

The plans also faced criticism from Alderman Mhairi Threlfall, a former Labour councillor and cabinet member for transport. She warned the plans could cost the council much more than keeping the two teams in house, and added that other councils part of combined authorities have kept their strategic transport teams.

She said: “I am proud of Labour’s record in local government, however as an ex-councillor, ex-cabinet member and an Alderman, I am concerned about the changes proposed, from which the cabinet papers identify no financial benefits, have serious legal and financial implications and could damage both the council’s reputation and its ability to carry out important functions ongoing.

“Taking account of two Christmases and the summer recess, there are essentially 14 months until our own local elections. This election will lead to a fundamental change in how our council operates, and likely, a review of the council’s functions. This decision affects how the council will operate going forward under the committee system so should be a decision for the committee.

“The committee should be able to consider how planning and transport will operate and hold Weca to account to deliver for the city, rather than just passing the buck. Moving staff or restructures just results in a loss of local talent rather than getting the best out of our people.

“Other local authorities with combined authorities have kept and invested in their strategic and highways transport functions in order to deliver on their statutory obligations and ensure local people have a say and ownership of their own areas. The question remains: why now?”

Heavy budget cuts mean the council is trying to shrink its services, focusing on areas it is legally required to do like assessing planning applications. Under the proposals, wider transport strategy work could be taken by Weca, while private transport consultants could carry out work on minor projects within Bristol.

Following the cabinet decision, the council will first consult on the planned changes. Talks about transferring transport staff to Weca began six years ago, according to Bristol mayor Marvin Rees, but were delayed by the pandemic. He said Weca is already responsible for funding major transport projects.

Mr Rees said: “Since 2016 when the combined authority was created by government order, the powers of strategic transport passed to them as the lead organisation. We’ve discussed the transfer of those powers since that time but unfortunately things were delayed by a number of challenges including Covid.

“But we’re now in advanced discussions with the combined authority to pass those powers over in full. We’ve been in a hybrid situation in Bristol leading the work programmes on strategic transport within our boundaries, but have to request funding from the combined authority.

“The work should sit with the powers and funding of the combined authority, while Bristol retains full decision-making powers on actions inside our own boundaries. The decision for Bristol to cease the work it doesn’t have the powers for is an obvious and simple one.”