‘It is clear that Bristol’s profile is not dependent on its electoral system’

On December 7 2021, at a full council meeting of Bristol City Council, a large majority of councillors voted in favour of a referendum giving the people of Bristol the opportunity to decide if they would prefer the city to be governed through an elected mayor and cabinet system, or by committees of elected councillors reflecting the political balance in the council chamber.

Strong views are likely to be expressed about the pros and cons of the two systems before the referendum in May 2022.

For the moment, the discussion seems to be focussed on three issues: whether an elected mayor raises the profile of the city; which system is better for ‘getting stuff done’, and; what are the implications for local democracy?

Raising the profile of the city

I doubt I am the only Bristolian who feels irritated when people imply that, until ten years ago, the city was a backwater that no one knew or cared about.

Bristol’s ‘high profile’ achievements and organisations, pre-dating an elected mayor, include: BBC’s Natural History Unit, described as the best known and most loved producer of natural history content in the world and based in Bristol since its formation in 1957; Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, founded 1979; Oscar-winning Aardman Animations, founded 1972; Banksy, a product of the Bristol underground scene in the 1990s which inspired collaborations between artists and musicians; Massive Attack, whose Unfinished Sympathy is considered by many to be a masterpiece.

Others may choose different examples, but it is clear that Bristol’s profile is not dependent on its electoral system.

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‘Getting stuff done’

Those who champion the elected mayoral system suggest that a ‘strong leader’ is able to achieve more than other local governance systems.

But, for example, in the decade before we had an elected mayor: the Children’s Hospital opened 2001; Redland Green School was built 2006; Bristol was declared the UK’s first Cycling City 2008; Cabot Circus opened 2008; The Bottle Yard Studios opened 2009; Bristol was declared a City of Sanctuary 2010; M Shed opened in 2011.

It is possible to compile a similar list for the years Bristol has had an elected mayor: patients moved into the new Brunel building at Southmead Hospital in 2014; Bristol was crowned the European Green Capital 2015; Bristol was designated UNESCO City of Film 2017; Bristol was selected as one of Channel 4’s new creative hubs, opening 2020.

But it is difficult to argue, for example, that Channel 4 favoured Bristol because it had an elected mayor: Leeds, not Bristol, was chosen for Channel 4’s national HQ, and Glasgow as a second creative hub, but neither city has an elected mayor.

An important question is whether the ‘stuff’ that is getting done benefits the citizens of Bristol.

Marvin Rees declared housing delivery a priority and points to cranes on the horizon as an indication of success. But his housing delivery targets have never been met and, while many struggle to find affordable housing, Bristol was recently named the UK’s best city to be a buy-to-let landlord.

Local democracy

Following the vote in favour of a referendum, the mayor’s Twitter account pronounced: “They are trying to take away your right to vote for who leads Bristol – and hit the voting rights of 340,000 Bristolians.”

This is an important issue, and voting rights are perhaps the crux of the debate.

Whichever system is chosen, people in Bristol will retain their right to vote for 70 local councillors, but how is a ‘leader’ chosen and how is power distributed?

Under a committee system, the leader is chosen by the elected councillors who also contribute to decision-making through committees, balanced in terms of the political make-up of the council.

Under an elected mayor, the mayor chooses up to ten councillors to form a cabinet but has the ultimate power over decision-making.

Perhaps the most publicised example of this concentration of power was when Rees cancelled Bristol’s city centre arena against the judgement of full council.

But those who observe council meetings have witnessed the marginalisation of backbench and opposition councillors, and the undermining of scrutiny, on a wide range of issues affecting the city and the people they are elected to represent.

This has concerned members of all political parties so that even a Labour cabinet member stated (after his resignation) “we need to look at how those backbench councillors and opposition councillors can have more of a say”.

Given these concerns, I doubt if I am the only person who voted for the elected mayoral system ten years ago but welcomes another opportunity to reflect on what is best for Bristol.

Suzanne Audrey is a Bristolian with an interest in local democracy.

Main photo: Bristol City Council

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