Bristol’s Labour administration will continue discussions with Legal & General over developing Arena Island after opposition councillors made an unsuccessful attempt to challenge the decision.
A ‘non-binding agreement’ will enable Bristol City Council to enter into a ‘strategic partnership’ with the asset management firm.
Councillors from the Green, Liberal Democrat and Conservative parties asked for the decision, taken by the Labour cabinet on 2nd July, to be ‘called in’ for examination. They argued there had been no tendering process, no evidence of market testing, no proper scrutiny of the decision and the council would be exposed to too much risk with no control over the development of the site.
Green party Cllr Eleanor Combley said: “This proposal disposes of council owned land which already has had millions of pounds spent on it, commits to spending unspecified millions more, spending half-a-million on design work and 40 years to underwriting rent if tenants can’t be found. Without the proper procurement process, or any attempt to market test this, we just don’t know if this is the best deal, or if the same objectives could be achieved with much less risk and cost to the council.”
Deputy mayor Craig Cheney said there was a “misunderstanding”. He explained the cabinet had agreed to a “non-binding strategic partnership” with L&G which was an “in principle” decision to start work on contract negotiations and a half-a-million pounds to progress development proposals for Temple Island. Cllr Cheney conceded that some “fairly valid comments” had been made about affordable housing and scrutiny of the proposals for the Temple Island site.
Questions about the legal advice the council had been given were held in exempt session and the information is not available to the public.
A vote was then taken about whether the council’s strategic partnership with L&G should go back to cabinet, or full council, for re-consideration. The four Labour members voted to take no further action, defeating the three opposition councillors.