Bristol City Council could bring waste services in house

A city council is considering bringing its waste services and home building back in house.

Papers prepared for the next Bristol City Council cabinet meeting have exposed "very serious concerns" with the future of Bristol Waste.

The documents show council bosses want to debate whether to continue with the "commercial model" of having arms-length companies.

Bristol Waste has already announced it is cutting some services.

Like many local authorities, Bristol City Council has been the sole shareholder of several companies since 2015. Each is under a parent company called Bristol Holding, which also belongs to the council.

The advantage is that councils can earn more money by commercialising services and investing profits back into the city.

But they can end disastrously - as happened with the failed Bristol Energy venture that cost taxpayers up to £43.8m - because there are fewer protections than for services provided directly by the council.

However, abandoning them altogether would be a major U-turn, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

While Bristol City Council's housing business Goram Homes is in a relatively strong position, its waste firm is not.

A report going to cabinet on 7 March, said Fiona Ross, the independent shareholder advisor, had recommended the shareholder group - the body set up by the mayor to advise the council on high-level strategic matters concerning the firms it owns - rethinks the current operation.

The group, which includes deputy mayor for finance Craig Cheney, top City Hall officers and Bristol Holding bosses, agreed that a "strategic review" of operating commercially should be undertaken to "ensure stability".

Ms Ross's advice said it was clear challenging economic conditions had led to the council having a "significant strain" on its resources trying to manage relationships with its commercial arms.

"It is my view that the time has come for Bristol City Council to conduct a review into the longer-term future of the commercial companies," she said.

Bristol Waste produced a five-year business plan in December but the council rejected this and demanded changes, which resulted in delays and a plan covering only the next 12 months.

A report prepared for the cabinet summarising the shareholder group's business plan said: "Although the 2023/24 budget balances, there are very serious concerns regarding the viability of the business in future years.

"The shareholder group also agreed with independent shareholder advisor recommendation that a strategic review of the commercial model should be planned to ensure stability into the future."

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