Mayor_of_Bristol

Mayor of Bristol

Mayor of Bristol

Head of Bristol City Council

This article is about the directly elected Mayor of Bristol. For mayors prior to 1899 and Lord Mayors of Bristol, see List of mayors of Bristol.

The Mayor of Bristol is the political leader of Bristol City Council. The mayor is a directly elected politician who, along with the 70 members of Bristol City Council, is responsible for the strategic government of the city of Bristol, England. The role was created after a local referendum held on 3 May 2012, which followed the passage of the Localism Act 2011.[3] 41,032 voted for an elected mayor and 35,880 voted against, with a turnout of 24%.[4][5] An election for the new post was held on 15 November 2012.[6][7]

Quick Facts Style, Term length ...

The incumbent mayor is Marvin Rees, elected on 5 May 2016.

The post of Lord Mayor of Bristol is a separate office, elected each May by city councillors and taking office on 29 September for a one-year period. The Lord Mayor chairs Council meetings and performs ceremonial functions in the city.[8]

On 7 December 2021, Bristol City Council voted in favour of holding another referendum on the position of mayor in May 2022, with regards to whether to retain the position or return to decision-making by councillors.[9][10] The referendum result was to abolish the position, and replace it with a committee system at the end of the current mayoral term in May 2024.[11]

Background

Main article: History of local government in Bristol § Mayors

The Local Government Act 2000 required local authorities in England to move from the traditional committee-based system of decision making to one based on an executive, also allowing the possibility of a directly elected mayor.[12] The first directly elected mayor was in Greater London in 2000.[13] Others followed in other authorities, including Hartlepool,[14] Middlesbrough,[14] Tower Hamlets,[15] Liverpool[16] and Salford.[17]

Referendum campaigns

2012 referendum

Following the passage of The City of Bristol (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 by the United Kingdom Parliament in February 2012,[18] a referendum was announced for 3 May 2012.[19]

Nine other cities also held referendums on the same day: Birmingham,[20] Bradford,[21] Coventry,[22] Leeds,[23] Manchester,[24] Newcastle upon Tyne,[25] Nottingham,[26] Sheffield[27] and Wakefield.[28] In addition, Doncaster Borough Council voted to hold a referendum on the same day to decide whether or not to retain their existing elected mayoral system, having been one of the earliest authorities to adopt the mayoral system in 2001.[29][30]

Campaigning groups supporting (A Mayor for Bristol)[31] and opposing (Bristol Says No!)[32] an elected mayor were established. A debate organised by the University of Bristol took place in the Council House on 22 February 2012.[33]

During the campaign, there were complaints that many voters did not receive leaflets produced by the city council explaining what the referendum was about.[34][35] Cities minister, Greg Clark accused the council of inaccuracies in the leaflet and refused to cover the printing costs.[36] After Clark promised more powers would be available to Bristol with an elected mayor, the city council accused him of "blackmail".[37]

The result, declared on 4 May 2012 by returning officer Stephen McNamara, was in favour of creating the position. Bristol was the only one of the ten cities voting that day to choose to have an elected mayor.[7]

More information Choice, Votes ...

2022 referendum

On 7 December 2021, the majority of elected Councillors backed a legally binding motion to hold a referendum on the future of the role of the Elected Mayor of Bristol. In May of 2022, the people of Bristol voted to abolish the role of mayor in the referendum, with a turnout of 28.6%.[38][39] The position will cease to exist in 2024, at the end of Rees's second term.

More information Choice, Votes ...

Elections

The first election for the new post was held on 15 November 2012,[40] the same day as elections for a police and crime commissioner for the Avon and Somerset Constabulary area.[41] A number of potential candidates expressed and interest in standing,[42] and 15 candidates stood for election to be mayor.[43]

The supplementary vote system is used for the elections, with each voter being entitled to list a first and second choice candidate. In this system if no candidate has more than half of the votes plus one in the first round of counting, all candidates other than the top two are eliminated and voters' second choices from the eliminated candidates are then allocated to the remaining candidates. The second election for mayor of Bristol took place in May 2016.[44]

2012

More information Bristol Mayoral Election 15 November 2012, Party ...

Turnout at the election was 27.92%.

2016

More information Bristol Mayoral Election 5 May 2016, Party ...

Turnout in the election was 44.87%.

2021

Because of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, elections for the mayor of Bristol were delayed from 2020 to May 2021. The mayoral term following these elections was shortened by a year.[46]

More information Bristol Mayoral Election 6 May 2021, Party ...

Turnout at the election was 41.15%.[48]

List of mayors since 2012

See also: List of mayors of Bristol
More information Political party, Name ...

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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    https://www.bristol.gov.uk/mayor/role-of-the-mayor. Bristol City Council. 2015. Retrieved 01 June 2016
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    Parry, Keith (19 April 2012). "Directly-elected mayors – Commons Library Standard Note". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
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    "The City of Bristol Mayoral Referendum result". Bristol City Council. 4 May 2012. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
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    Staff (4 May 2012). "Bristol votes in favour of directly-elected mayor". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
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    "Directly Elected Mayor – What does it mean for Bristol?". Bristol City Council. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
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    Staff (5 May 2012). "Bristol stands alone as only city to vote for an elected mayor". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. Archived from the original on 8 May 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
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    Woolerton, Betty (8 December 2021). "Rees' reaction to mayoral referendum". B24/7. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
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    Assinder, Nick (5 May 2000). "Ken's blow to New Labour". BBC News. London: BBC. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
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  25. [25]
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  26. [26]
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  28. [28]
    "The City of Wakefield (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012/333
  29. [29]
    "Voters to decide on mayor's future". The Star. 15 May 2012. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012.
  30. [30]
    Staff (4 May 2012). "English mayoral referendum results". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  31. [31]
    "A Mayor for Bristol". bristolmayor.org. 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  32. [32]
    "Bristol says NO! | vote no to an elected Mayor in the referendum". bristolsaysno.org. 2012. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  33. [33]
    "Mayoral debate". Bristol University. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  34. [34]
    Staff (17 April 2012). "Bristol mayor referendum leaflets failing to drop on mats". This Is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
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    Staff (5 April 2012). "Mayoral referendum: Bristol council's call over leaflet". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
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    Staff (5 April 2012). "Bristol City Council mayoral leaflets 'not fair or balanced'". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  37. [37]
    Staff (15 March 2012). "Government accused of blackmail over Bristol elected mayor". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  38. [38]
    Cameron, Amanda (7 December 2021). "Bristol mayoral referendum to be held in 2022". Bristol Post. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  39. [39]
    "Bristol mayoral referendum to be held in 2022". BBC News. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  40. [40]
    Staff (7 May 2012). "Bristol's elected mayor will have to tackle 'council malaise'". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  41. [41]
    "Future elections in Bristol". Bristol City Council. 2012. Archived from the original on 21 February 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  42. [42]
    Staff (5 May 2012). "Bristol mayoral election: Expect a flurry of hopefuls". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  43. [43]
    "Candidates and campaign groups". Bristol City Council. 2012. Archived from the original on 6 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  44. [44]
    "Future elections in Bristol". Bristol City Council. 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  45. [45]
    "Mayoral Election stage 1 count results". Bristol City Council. 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  46. [46]
    Wilson, Kate (7 May 2020). "Bristol's next mayor will only serve three-year term after 2020 elections postponed". Bristol Post. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  47. [47]
    "Mayoral Election Stage 1 Count Results". bristol.gov.uk. Bristol City Council. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  48. [48]
    "Mayoral election 2021 turnout". Bristol City Council. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
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