Lakhs of tax reduction from the city due to student number

It was told in a meeting of the city council that the increasing number of students living in Bristol means that public services are decreasing in council tax.

Councilors told in the meeting that the authority was “missing” in tax of £ 2.6 million this year. Despite getting benefits from council services like bin collections and parks, students are exempted from paying council tax.

Counselor Caroline Gooch said that universities are the “extreme burden” of student discounts on universities or rural areas, arguing that the government should implement a subsidy scheme.

Councilors also noted how students benefited the city, such as the economy of night time.

Goach said: “The government should implement the subsidy scheme for local officials with high student population.”

The total cost of students not paying council tax in Bristol is not clear, but this year it has increased by £ 2.6 million, Report of local democracy service,

Counselor Tom Blennakinsop said that the city has financially benefited from having a “big student population”.

He said, “It is good that we are a university city.” “But it would be appropriate to ask yourself, ‘How much student housing is too much?’

“Will we get better service by constructing dense, more specific student housing? Although I believe it is not always popular.”

Currently thousands of students are being built flats across the city and developers can get permission for homes that come down from national standards in terms of place and daylight.

For example, blocks of flats under construction on the gas lane behind the Temple Meads Train Station.

In 2023, despite concerns about the lack of illumination in many rooms, councilors allowed developers to plan an additional floor at the top of this building.

At that time, a councilor said that the future residents will probably sleep half days during the weekend “.

During the council meeting last week, Councilor Jonathan Hakar stated that although the increasing number of students provided a “important financial challenge” to the council, the student population helped the city.

He said: “The large student population benefits the city’s hospitality and night time economy.

“That scene is based on my own observations of many evenings spent in Weather Supoon.”

A spokesperson from the West University of England said that the student was “integral part of Bristol’s liveliness and culture”.

“UWE Bristol and his students contribute more than £ 400 million every year, which supports more than 3,500 jobs in the local economy every year,” he said.

A spokesperson of the Bristol University said that his students “have always been part of the rich culture of Bristol”.

He said, “They work and volunteer and many people live in Bristol after starting business and family after graduation.”

“In 2022/23, Bristol University students and their visitors contributed £ 318 million to the local economy and supported 5,270 jobs across the city.”