‘We need an international spokesperson for our city and its companies’

Like you, I don’t know whether the mayoral or the system of committees is going to be better or worse at running our city day-to-day, but I do know that having a mayor gives us visibility, influence and opportunity around the world.

I have been involved with hundreds of businesses over the last 20 years, including ones with offices, staff and clients in the UK and abroad. I’ve done business in Asia where status makes or breaks deals, and saying we have a supportive mayor has helped me speak to the most senior company reps.

I’ve visited many cities, companies and institutions in the US where mayors are highly esteemed, and they straight away feel they understand something about our city when I say we have a mayor.

I still want to say to people I interact with ‘invest in companies in our city because this is what my city stands for’. I can point to what our mayors have said about Bristol being an international city and I can say we are led by a mayor. I can’t imagine referencing the leader of the council of Bristol – they will look to Manchester, Leicester, Liverpool … because they each have a mayor associated with them, and the world understands what that means.

And I don’t think we can afford to lose our city mayor just because we have a regional one. Other countries don’t understand the geography the regional mayor is responsible for (nor do many citizens and businesses in the “West of England”, I’d suggest) – the city is the brand abroad, and the mayor is its visible spokesperson.

I’ve visited some cities which have their own logos and presumably a huge marketing budget, where companies invite their mayor to key events with foreign visitors or have them sign their company marketing information.

Bristol, led by our current mayor, hosted a Global Parliament of Mayors event in 2018. More than 80 mayors and city network leaders from six continents gathered in our city, with UN institutions and global companies. They received a huge welcome and went back singing our praises to their citizens, businesses, and young people.

Many of which will be the talent pool to support economic growth in our city, enabling more opportunities for local young people. Some of those people became clients and trade partners of the companies I’ve worked with, or tourists and university students. There’s no Global Parliament of council committee leaders to welcome to the city in the future.

Funding from Whitehall is decreasing all the time – Bristol needs to be like any other international city and attract foreign investment – into projects, new companies to the city and into existing businesses, creating jobs for our fantastically diverse workforce. Both our past and current mayors have travelled to promote the city, joining meetings with our business leaders and showing investors that the most senior person has been brought forward to meet them.

For the companies I’ve worked with, that kind of gravitas can spark new relationships. Cities need visible spokespeople to clearly and consistently explain what their cities stand for. If the city isn’t represented in that way on the global stage, the money may well flow elsewhere and Bristol, and its citizens, will be left behind.

‘Mayor’ is a globally recognised word, and by having it we are a globally recognised city. Take it away and we will be known as a city run by a set of complicated committees and sub-committees. We will lose our international status and with it investment, funding, profile, and the visibility that helps our city develop.

I’ll be voting on May 5. And it will be to keep the mayoral role. For the future of my city and the people, organisations and businesses in it.

I’d also add, that if I stood for mayor in 2024, my interpretation of the role would be different from that of the last two – building on what we’ve learned about what works and doesn’t work and strive to be as inclusive as possible.

Not easy, but I’d try.

Nick Sturge is a Freelance consultant and champion of Bristol

Nick Sturge will be voting to keep the mayor – photo: Bristol24/7

Main photo: CB Bristol Design

Read more: Everything you need to know about Bristol’s Referendum

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