West of England mayoral hopefuls battle it out

From Bristol Airport expansion to affordable homes, four metro mayor hopefuls battled it out over the West’s key issues – even Banksy got a mention.

Aside from a few potshots about “has-been MPs” and less experienced candidates using the position as “political work experience”, the hustings hosted by Bristol24/7 in collaboration with Watershed, was a pretty polite affair.

When the first elections were held for the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) mayor in 2017, one resident questioned how many mayors one city needs. After four years of a Conservative regional mayor that even Boris Johnson – a fellow Tory – doesn’t know the name of, many are asking similar questions.

But with powers over transport, education, skills, housing and planning for the region and a sizeable spending pot, it’s an important position.

Standing for the role of WECA mayor this time round are Labour’s Dan Norris, Jerome Thomas for the Greens, Conservative candidate Samuel Williams and Lib Dem Stephen Williams.

Watch the full hustings back to help you decide who to vote for when the West heads to the polls on May 6 – or read on for some of the highlights.

An introduction by Watershed CEO Clare Reddington focused on the importance of support for the creative sector and building inclusivity within it. Bristol24/7 Editor and host for the evening Martin Booth then eased candidates in with a question on where they would take people on a visit to the region.

Norris covered Somerset’s Stanton Drew Circles to Kingswood – via Radstock, while Thomas highlighted his support for North Somerset joining WECA – which is currently comprised of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset – and spoke about Clevedon’s Marine Lake.

Samuel Williams talked of the joy of cycling on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path and Stephen Williams said, if he is elected, he will propose making Bristol follow in Bath’s footsteps to become a World Heritage city.

Then it was on to the harder-hitting stuff, with Mary-Rose Clarke, a representative of Our Air, Our City campaign, highlighting the city’s killer air pollution and asking candidates if they would scrap current plans to build new roads and junctions.

Samuel Williams said: “It is really important. I have learnt I have asthma since moving to Bristol and I worry for my two daughters that they are growing up in a city that is risking their health.” He agreed the region does not need new road-building projects but said new junctions, such as the 49 junction, that could take large lorries away from residential streets are appropriate.

Stephen Williams – a former MP for Bristol West – is proposing to set aside space on all streets for shared electric cars, so people can have use of them when needed without needing to own a vehicle, thus reducing traffic on roads and lessening their impact on air pollution.

Thomas argued Greens are the only group that can be trusted to deliver on cleaning up air pollution, adding: “It’s not just clean air, we want to be able to support people to move quickly and easily without using their cars so I would like to see that road budget used for investment in cycling – proper spending rather than the occasional bit of funding from central government to put a cycle lane here and there.”

Norris – a former MP for Wansdyke (now North East Somerset) – argued the region has been failed by politicians that “haven’t been ambitious enough or cared enough” and said he would launch public discussions to set about changing this.

Air Pollution is a key issue for many in Bristol – Photo credit: Simon Holliday

Audience member Kenneth MacArthur​ asked: What is your view of introducing bus franchising in the West of England, as Greater Manchester are going to?

Thomas agreed with the idea in principle but said franchising is costly and he’d rather look at alternative models such as a partnership.

Samuel Williams outlined his aspiration to make buses more accessible and affordable and how this could be achieved through enhanced partnerships.

Stephen Williams threw his support behind franchising, saying: “If I’m elected, on day one, I will instruct them to stop work on building roads and start work on bus franchising. Franchising is definitely something I would pursue but it would have to be a model that works in this region and not just the same as London.”

Norris said he would consider it – and in fact anything. “I want to see a revolution – a really good public transport system that our region needs,” said the Labour hopeful.

“We’ve never had it and it’s one of the things that make our region less good. We’re missing out. I would be prepared to consider absolutely anything that would give us that great public transport system we deserve.”

On how they would raise the profile of the regional mayor – in the way Sadiq Khan has in London or Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester, candidates got into a debate of political experience versus business acumen. Samuel Williams and Thomas – both men who have run their own businesses – forming a perhaps unlikely alignment against the two former MPs.

Stephen Williams didn’t mince his words, saying: “We cannot afford another four years of being left behind because the leader of the region does not have the experience or clout to bring people together – I’d bring people together and I’d be loud and clear in London, we can’t afford to fall further behind by someone who is effectively using the position as political work experience.”

Norris suggested the Tories are taking the region for granted, saying he would promote the West and put it on the map as – listing names of celebrities from the area, including Mary Berry, JK Rowling and Banksy.

Thomas said: “I think it would be a marvellous asset for the region to have the first Green mayor.” He said one of his first actions as metro mayor would be to establish a citizens’ assembly to tackle key issues such as climate change – a means, he argued of coming up with ideas that have broad support and are radical.

Samuel Williams said he is already in communication with Westminster and would be seeking to invest in communications to shout about the “amazing projects” being delivered in the West. He also wants to expand WECA to not just include North Somerset, but also Gloucestershire to “boost the collective power”.

Bristol Airport expansion plans were rejected by North Somerset councillors in February 2020 – photo courtesy of Bristol Aiport

On airport expansion

The Labour, Green and Lib Dem candidates all expressed their opposition to plans to expand Bristol Airport – with Norris pointing out he is prepared to break party ties over it (Bristol Labour mayor Marvin Rees has previously supported the proposals).

Samuel Williams said he didn’t necessarily think expansion was necessary but that he is not opposed.

“Investment breeds innovation,” argued the Tory candidate, arguing any future profits derived from expansion could be ploughed into development and research so the region could have “the first fully sustainable carbon neutral airport”.

On building affordable homes

Stephen Williams focused on the need to build communities that are socially balanced and plan holistically so new development sites are linked from the outset to existing or new transport.

Samuel Williams said he would work in partnership with housing associations and the private sector to develop homes that are “nature-friendly, sustainable and affordable for people to live in”.

Thomas agreed on the need to build new homes to high standards, saying there is a need for a spatial development strategy “because we are building homes in the wrong places” and promising to make use of compulsory purchase powers to deal with stalled sites and take some of the profits currently going to developers.

Norris said he would put more emphasis on building council homes, saying “we need good homes that meet the needs of our communities and are environmentally friendly.

On skills, training and support for businesses

Samuel Williams intends to launch a community ambassadors scheme so people across the region’s communities know how to engage. “We need to make sure skills provision is inclusive and support our entrepreneurial spirit,” said the Tory candidate.

Stephen Williams would focus first on supporting the hospitality and retail industries to build back and make sure the local workforce is skilled up for green jobs.

Norris plans to launch a skills and jobs summit to talk about what needs to happen to ensure skills and training match jobs, adding: “At the moment it’s really complicated to sign up to find out about skills and training – it needs to be streamlined.”

Thomas said the challenge is to identify people and businesses who have fallen through the gaps and are really struggling, adding there is an opportunity for more online training.

Read more: Bristol24/7 to host mayoral hustings at end of April