Bristol City Council

Local Elections 2021

‘We just want to see change’: the Lawrence Hill residents feeling left behind by their councillors

Lawrence Hill is traditionally Labour but some residents are feeling let down by the current councillors. Can they hold onto Bristol's largest ward?

Fatima Hudoon

Reports

Bristol councillor launches attack on the Labour group after quitting party

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

City

Bristol becomes first UK city to ban ads for junk food, payday loans and gambling

Hannah Vickers
Hannah Vickers

Bristol and the Climate Crisis

An experiment in democracy: Inside Bristol’s first ever citizens' assembly

60 Bristol citizens have released their recommendations on climate, health and transport. Participants share their insights from this pioneering process of public participation.

Matty Edwards
Matty Edwards

Reports

Councillors approve public consultation on controversial strip club ban

Adam Postans (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

Cost of Bristol Beacon refurb more than doubled

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

Analysis: Budget bust up between Labour councillors and mayor over council house rent freezes

As City Hall delivered the budget this week, we analysed what it means for the city, sitting through a four-hour meeting so you don’t have to.

Tin Hinson

Reports

Mutated Covid variant found in Bristol no more infectious or dangerous, health experts say

11 cases of the mutated form of the Kent variant have been found in Bristol but it's thought to be no more infectious or dangerous than its parent, according to health experts

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

Bristol City Council goes back to the drawing board on Cumberland Basin plans

The council goes back to basics with its controversial ‘Western Harbour’ proposals after previous concerns about transparency.

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Interviews

Bristol will be charging drivers to tackle air pollution, but other changes are on the way too

Bristol's Clean Air Zone has finally been decided. We spoke to cabinet member for transport, Kye Dudd, speaks about air pollution, plans for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, and doubling down on measures brought in at the start of the pandemic.

Matty Edwards
Matty Edwards and Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

Fear of 'cover-ups', bad decisions and squandering taxpayers' money

A cross-party group of councillors fear “cover-ups”, bad decisions and taxpayers’ money being squandered by Bristol City Council. Now they call for better access rights to information.

Adam Postans (Local Democracy Reporter) and Alex Turner

Reports

Damning report condemns council's ‘inadequate’ decision-making process for Bristol Energy

External auditor Grant Thorton said Bristol City Council was not properly informed before investing extra money into Bristol Energy. The information the cabinet received also "did not clearly state the risks" and was "out of date", they add

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

Further £15 million of public money 'lost' to Bristol Energy

Bristol Energy lost another £14.8million last year, latest financial data shows. Now a public interest report is being sought to find out what went wrong.

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Ideas and Action

How helping people take drugs safely will save lives

Bristol City Council’s new Drug Strategy consultation will consider the use of safe consumption rooms. Transform Drug Policy's head of campaigns examines what this could mean for the city.

Martin Powell
Martin Powell

Reports

Regional row: Mayor Marvin Rees accused of blocking West of England Combined Authority expansion

The neighbouring Tory, Liberal Democrat and Independent local authority leaders have accused Mr Rees of "putting party politics before doing the right thing for the region."

Adam Postans (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

Locals call for answers on fuel leak at St Pauls development site

Photos: Save the M32 Maples Developers have started to build 31 homes on the site of a former filling station in central Bristol from which...

James Garrett and Howard Ogden

Coronavirus in Bristol

Bristol ‘highly likely’ to see Tier 2 Covid restrictions soon, with local NHS now under 'extreme pressure'

Meanwhile both of Bristol’s hospital trusts have declared internal critical incidents amid rising demand and more Covid patients.

Matty Edwards Lucas Batt
Matty Edwards and Lucas Batt

Coronavirus in Bristol

New Covid measures for Bristol, as city announces Tier 1+ in response to rising infections

The council is taking action after infection rates continued to rise sharply, including among working age adults, not just university students.

Matty Edwards
Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter) and Matty Edwards

Reports

Bristol Council questioned over social media ‘spying’

Councillors are asking whether the “surveillance”, which they say was “covert”, needed authorisation.

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

City

Council approves major new development plans in Lawrence Hill

The Council approves the building of hundreds of new homes, offices, shops, student accommodation and a new school in Lawrence Hill. But flooding objections from the Environment Agency could override the decision.

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

£17 million could be wiped off value of Bristol Energy

The Labour-run council is trying to sell Bristol Energy, which has soaked up £35 million of council tax payers’ money and posted official losses of £32.5 million since it was set up five years ago.

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Fight For Fair Air

Watch: Lessons from lockdown - how can Bristol battle air pollution?

As traffic on Bristol’s streets returns to normal following lockdown, air pollution levels have returned to illegal levels. What can we do about it?

Patch de Salis

Reports

£37.7 million later: Council announces sale of debt-ridden Bristol Energy

The announcement comes after Labour councillors last week blocked an inquiry into the saga, which has cost the local authority millions.

Adam Postans (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

Council will have to make spending cuts, as cost of Covid-19 passes £100 million

Bristol City Council has repeatedly called for more funding from central government, because the current level of support leaves a black hole of £86 million.

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)