Mayor of Bristol

The Mayor of Bristol is the head of government of Bristol and the chief executive of the 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]

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.

Mayor of Bristol
Arms of Bristol City Council
Incumbent
Marvin Rees
since 7 May 2016
StyleCity Mayor (to distinguish from Lord Mayor, a separate post)
Term lengthFour years
First holderGeorge Ferguson
DeputyCraig Cheney and Asher Craig[1]
Salary£65,738 (2015)[2]
Websitehttp://www.bristol.gov.uk/mayor

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 the United Kingdom 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]

Bristol Mayoral referendum
4 May 2012
Choice Votes  %
Referendum passed Elected Mayor 41,032 53
Cabinet System 35,880 47
Total votes 76,912 100.00
Source: [5]

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.

Bristol Mayoral referendum
5 May 2022
Choice Votes  %
Referendum passed Committee System 56,113 59
Elected Mayor 38,439 41
Total votes 94,931 100.00
Source: https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/bristol-votes-to-scrap-mayoral-model-of-governance/

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
Bristol Mayoral Election 15 November 2012
Party Candidate 1st round 2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
Total Of round Transfers Total Of round
Bristol 1st George Ferguson 31,321 35.13% 6,032 37,353 52.94%
​​
Labour Marvin Rees 25,896 29.05% 5,363 31,259 47.06%
​​
Conservative Geoff Gollop 8,136 9.13%
​​
Liberal Democrats Jon Rogers 6,202 6.96%
​​
Green Daniella Radice 5,248 5.89%
​​
Independent Owain George 2,404 2.70%
​​
Independent Spud Murphy 1,855 2.08%
​​
Respect Neil Maggs 1,568 1.76%
​​
Independent Stoney Garnett 1,413 1.58%
​​
TUSC Tom Baldwin 1,412 1.58%
​​
Independent Tim Collins 1,037 1.16%
​​
Independent Philip Pover 994 1.11%
​​
Independent Tony Britt 761 0.85%
​​
Independent Rich Fisher 494 0.55%
​​
The Birthday Party Dave Dobbs 411 0.46%
​​
Bristol 1st win

Turnout at the election was 27.92%.

2016
Bristol Mayoral Election 5 May 2016[45]
Party Candidate 1st round 2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
Total Of round Transfers Total Of round
Labour Marvin Rees 56,729 40.4% 12,021 68,750 62.5%
​​
Bristol 1st George Ferguson 32,375 23.1% 7,202 39,577 37.5%
​​
Conservative Charles Lucas 19,617 14.0%
​​
Green Tony Dyer 10,000 7.1%
​​
Liberal Democrats Kay Barnard 8,078 5.8%
​​
UKIP Paul Anthony Turner 7,115 5.1%
​​
TUSC Tom Baldwin 1,876 1.3%
​​
Independent Stoney Garnett 1,384 1.0%
​​
Independent Christine Charlotte Townsend 1,010 0.7%
​​
Independent Tony Britt 877 0.6%
​​
Independent Paul Anthony Saville 545 0.4%
​​
Independent John Langley 367 0.3%
​​
Independent Mayor Festus Kudehinbu 341 0.2%
​​
Labour gain from Bristol 1st

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 will be shortened by a year.[46]

Bristol Mayoral Election 6 May 2021 [47]
Party Candidate 1st round 2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
Total Of round Transfers Total Of round
Labour Marvin Rees 50,510 36.3% 8,766 59,276 56.5%
​​
Green Sandy Hore-Ruthven 36,331 26.1% 9,332 45,663 43.5%
​​
Conservative Alastair Watson 25,816 18.6%
​​
Liberal Democrats Caroline Gooch 15,517 11.2%
​​
Independent Sean Donnelly 4,956 3.6%
​​
TUSC Tom Baldwin 3,194 2.3%
​​
Independent John Langley 1,528 1.1%
​​
Reform UK Robert Clarke 806 0.6%
​​
Independent Oska Shaw 389 0.3%
​​
Labour hold

Turnout at the election was 41.15%.[48]

List of mayors since 2012
See also: List of mayors of Bristol
Political party Name Entered office Left office
Bristol 1st George Ferguson 19 Nov 2012 8 May 2016
Labour Marvin Rees 9 May 2016 Incumbent

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. https://www.bristol.gov.uk/mayor/role-of-the-mayor. Bristol City Council. 2015. Retrieved 01 June 2016
  3. Parry, Keith (19 April 2012). "Directly-elected mayors – Commons Library Standard Note". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  4. "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.
  5. Staff (4 May 2012). "Bristol votes in favour of directly-elected mayor". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  6. "Directly Elected Mayor – What does it mean for Bristol?". Bristol City Council. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  7. 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.
  8. "Lord Mayor of Bristol". Bristol City Council. 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  9. "Bristol mayor referendum to be held on role's future". BBC News. 8 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  10. Woolerton, Betty (8 December 2021). "Rees' reaction to mayoral referendum". B24/7. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  11. "Bristol Mayor Vote: Voters Decide to Abolish Mayor Post". BBC News. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  12. "Local Government Act 2000". legislation.gov.uk. 28 July 2000. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  13. Assinder, Nick (5 May 2000). "Ken's blow to New Labour". BBC News. London: BBC. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  14. "Elected Mayors". New Local Government Network. 2012. Archived from the original on 20 December 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  15. "Meet the Mayor". London Borough of Tower Hamlets. 2012. Archived from the original on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  16. "Why a mayor for Liverpool? –". Liverpool City Council. 2012. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  17. "Election results –". Salford City Council. 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
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  19. Staff (22 February 2012). "Bristol elected mayor idea has been debated". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  20. "The City of Birmingham (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012/324
  21. "The City of Bradford (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012/325
  22. 327/1/made "The City of Coventry (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012 327/1 {{citation}}: Check |url= value (help)
  23. 328/1/made "The City of Leeds (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012 328/1 {{citation}}: Check |url= value (help)
  24. 329/1/made "The City of Manchester (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012 329/1 {{citation}}: Check |url= value (help)
  25. 330/1/made "The City of Newcastle upon Tyne (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012 330/1 {{citation}}: Check |url= value (help)
  26. 331/1/made "The City of Nottingham (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012 331/1 {{citation}}: Check |url= value (help)
  27. 332/1/made "The City of Sheffield (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012 332/1 {{citation}}: Check |url= value (help)
  28. 333/1/made "The City of Wakefield (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012 333/1 {{citation}}: Check |url= value (help)
  29. "Voters to decide on mayor's future". The Star. 15 May 2012. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012.
  30. Staff (4 May 2012). "English mayoral referendum results". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  31. "A Mayor for Bristol". bristolmayor.org. 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  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. "Mayoral debate". Bristol University. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  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.
  35. Staff (5 April 2012). "Mayoral referendum: Bristol council's call over leaflet". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  36. Staff (5 April 2012). "Bristol City Council mayoral leaflets 'not fair or balanced'". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  37. Staff (15 March 2012). "Government accused of blackmail over Bristol elected mayor". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  38. Cameron, Amanda (7 December 2021). "Bristol mayoral referendum to be held in 2022". Bristol Post. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  39. "Bristol mayoral referendum to be held in 2022". BBC News. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  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. "Future elections in Bristol". Bristol City Council. 2012. Archived from the original on 21 February 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  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. "Candidates and campaign groups". Bristol City Council. 2012. Archived from the original on 6 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  44. "Future elections in Bristol". Bristol City Council. 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  45. "Mayoral Election stage 1 count results". Bristol City Council. 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  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. "Mayoral Election Stage 1 Count Results". bristol.gov.uk. Bristol City Council. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  48. "Mayoral election 2021 turnout". Bristol City Council. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
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