A congestion charge and a tourist tax on hotel beds are just two suggestions l would like to put into the melting pot to help B&NES find some additional revenue to offset the 16 million pounds budget shortfall it says it still has.
Elsewhere on this site, you will see a story about how the Council is holding local forums to take suggestions from the general public on how to make savings. Things are so bad seems 300 employees will probably lose their jobs.
Things are so bad seems 300 employees will probably lose their jobs.
Well, this is also a forum that attracts public attention so l hope the powers that be will be amongst our readers.
Bringing back some sort of inner-city road toll has to be a serious contender for active consideration. Bath Preservation Trust has already said they would like one introduced for tourist coaches.
The same goes for a tourist tax. Though B&NES has considered it – it hasn’t been brave enough to lead the way and implement such a charge.
Now it’s a member of the West of England Combined Authority maybe joint action on this front with Bristol might be a way forward. Both cities need their tourist revenue.
One more thing – with the local authority shrinking so much – l hear one in-joke talks about being relocated to a broom cupboard – they should put the Guildhall on the market. It would make a fine hotel.
All joking apart, l hope Bathonians will have their say. Whatever your views about the Council’s actions of late there is one inescapable fact and that is central government is squeezing them financially to an ever-closer death.
