PRESS RELEASE

As part of our amendments to the South Gloucestershire Council Budget for the forthcoming year the Labour group of councillors proposed a Budget amendment which included funding of £40,000 to allow the Pod in the Park in Filton to reopen for 1 year.

Filton councillor Adam Monk said: “The £40,000 we proposed for Pod in the Park would have come from the Council’s Economic Development reserve and would have allowed the project to extend for another year. Council officers advised that they could then work with FACE to look at other sources of sustainable funding. We were extremely surprised and disappointed that the ruling Tory group at South Glos., including Filton Tory Councillor, Chris Wood, voted against our amendment and refused to see the great benefit of such an important project. Pod in the Park provided young people with Special Educational Needs the opportunity to gain work experience and qualifications, and also meets the Council’s priority of having All young people well educated and skilled, and prepared for the future.”