Big changes in city budget/governance

[Crispy]

Evening Post story: http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/pound-1billion-revolution/story-16481396-detail/story.html

This is a big deal. Proper cross-sounty control of transport. Local business tax and borrowing control.

I'm sure it'll be all sorts of horrible in the details, but this sort of city-wide transport coordination has been badly needed for a long time. Now it looks like the "Metro" plans can happen - more local trains, reopen the Portishead line and Henbury loops to passengers, new stations in Horfield, Ashley Down and Saltford.

 

[butchersapron]

Note also:

The Post can reveal that a £1billion City Deal will provide money to pay for the long-awaited Bristol Metro train network, put a local body in charge of all publicly-owned assets and change the face of further education.[/QUOTE]

That doesn't sound ominous at all.

 

[Crispy]

The face of further education is already a bloody mess. What's a few more punches going to matter?

 

[butchersapron]

This:

A Public Property Board will manage up to £1 billion of City Council assets and an estimated 180 land and property assets to unlock more land for economic growth or housing and to lever in additional public or private investment.

sounds like they're going to sell off as much public property/land as possible sharpish.