Hike in allotment fees delayed as Bristol City Council pass budget

Fee hikes for allotments and new parking charges have been delayed until next year as Labour and the Conservatives agreed the city’s annual budget. Rents for allotments were set to massively increase in April, while new fees at district car parks were also set to be introduced.

But the Conservatives said they won “important concessions” from Labour, which pushed back these charges until next year instead. Drivers will still have to pay the new charges and allotment holders will still see a fee increase, but only from April next year instead of this year.

The annual budget for Bristol City Council also includes yet another five per cent increase in council tax. Rising demand for social services combined with high inflation and cuts to government funding has left the council, along with many others, needing to find extra cash.

Labour mayor Marvin Rees said: “We’re in a very real financial crisis. I want to thank those councillors who have committed to work collaboratively to come together across differences.”

Councillor Mark Weston, leader of the Conservative group, added: “The budget has additional money for buses, traffic schemes, road maintenance and the cancellation of this year’s allotment fee hike. More needs to be done, and there’s a big one coming next year. But we’ll look at that in next year’s budget.

“We also have the deferring of the district car park charges, and at a time when we should really be supporting our neighbourhood and district shopping centres, those would be a real blow. I’m happy that’s been deferred for a year, and we’ll have that fight again next year.”

New parking charges in district car parks are expected to raise £150,000 a year, from 2025. Allotment rents will see massive increases in both 2025 and 2026, with the cost of a medium plot rising from £70 currently to £113 in 2025, and then £156 in 2026.

The budget was passed by a majority vote during a full council meeting on Wednesday, February 28. Last week, councillors failed to approve the mayor’s proposed budget, which led Labour to negotiate with the Tories on potential changes to win their support.

Cllr Emma Edwards, leader of the Green group, said: “This remains an austerity budget that leaves many people worried about their future and many people feeling vulnerable. We weren’t invited to the table, and Labour has chosen to negotiate with the party of austerity instead.

“The issues with allotments could have been solved a long time ago. Previous incremental rises in line with inflation, that were agreed in 2018 and would have protected the service, have not happened, meaning that allotment services have been brought to their knees.”