Rees: ‘We are going to make sure we build Bristol as a city of hope’

With his children by his side, Marvin Rees made last-minute notes on his speech before taking to the stage for his swearing-in ceremony.

The Labour mayor was re-elected early on Sunday morning, beating Green challenger Sandy Hore-Ruthven to secure a second term in Bristol’s top job.

Officially taking up the role on Monday, Rees said it is an honour to be voted in once more as he addressed the small, socially distanced crowd inside City Hall for what was a pretty understated affair compared to 2016.

The newly re-elected mayor confirmed the reappointment of his two deputy mayors, Asher Craig and Craig Cheney, as well as Helen Holland and Helen Godwin in cabinet positions.

Following a ‘Green surge’ that saw a number of Labour councillors including two of Rees’ cabinet members, Afzal Shah and Kye Dudd, lose their seats, one of the key questions is whether or not the mayor will return to his ‘rainbow’ cabinet of 2016.

Rees previously abandoned his cross-party cabinet, saying individuals within opposition parties made the system unworkable.

On Monday, he gave no indication either way, simply saying he will be making further announcements on appointments in due course.

Following a poem pre-recorded by city poet Caleb Parkin via Zoom, Rees began his speech with a focus on inclusion, tackling poverty and decarbonising the city.

“Bristol is a city of contrasts,” he said. “It has been since I was a child and it continues to be.

“We have a fantastic story to tell to the outside world; two world class universities, thriving creatives sector, a third of the world’s natural history broadcasting, a robotics centre, lots of green space…

“A bit of a hipster culture and all the rest of it, a foodie scene.

“We know that there are tens of thousands of people who do not share in that story. Growing up, I was one of those children in a family that did not feel that we shared in that story.

“We know those fractures are mapped across race, class, gender and geography. That’s not to talk the city down, it’s to be honest and frank about the challenges of a modern city.”

Rees continued: “We want to protect the ambition of Bristol. I have got no apology about being ambitious; we want cranes on the horizon in the city because that shows we are building and people are confident to come and invest here.”

The YTL Arena Bristol is due to open in 2024 in the Brabazon hangars on the edge of the former Filton airfield –  photo courtesy of YTL

The mayor mentioned the regeneration of Temple Meads and Temple Island, which was once earmarked for an arena, and stated the city “will get its arena” – now set to be built in Filton – as well as the proposed mass transit system, youth zones and more.

He added: “We want to build that ambition in a way that is characterised by compassion and inclusion.”

Rees also revealed he is pursuing the idea of a living rent in the city.

The mayor stated the climate and ecological strategies will be central to the way the city is taken forward, saying: “We have to find a way of growing our economy and providing jobs for people in a decarbonised economy that does not kill the planet.”

Marvin Rees talks to the press at City Academy after being re-elected in the early hours of Sunday morning – photo: Martin Booth

Rees paid tribute to Dudd and Shah, saying “I don’t know if I’ve known two harder working councillors”, as well as Anna Keen, who has stood down.

Rees acknowledged the loss of Shah, saying “one of the important things about this organisation is that it genuinely reflects the city”.

“I’m going to be straight about it, we are losing the most senior Pakistani councillor in the South West who was a groundbreaker and set an example to people in the community about what you can do as people from our backgrounds.”

Rees finished by saying: “It’s different the first time, you are elected on your promises and potential. The second time, it’s people saying ‘yeah, we like what you’ve done’. That’s not to get complacent, not to rest on our laurels but it is an endorsement of all we’ve done.

“We are going to make sure that the city we build, we can make it a city of hope.”

The mayor will serve a term of three years – one fewer than usual because of the elections being postponed in 2020.

The first full council meeting will take place on May 25 with a chamber that will look very different to before.

Main photo by Ellie Pipe

Read more: Marvin Rees re-elected as mayor of Bristol