George Ferguson (Mayor of Bristol)
George Ferguson | |
---|---|
George Ferguson in 2013 | |
Mayor of Bristol | |
Assumed office 19 November 2012 | |
Preceded by | Office created |
Personal details | |
Born |
George Robin Paget Ferguson 22 March 1947 Winchester, Hampshire, England |
Political party |
Liberal (1970–1988) Liberal Democrats (1988–2012) Bristol 1st (2012–present) |
Domestic partner | Lavinia (separated 2000) |
Children | Alice, John and Corinna |
Residence | Southville, Bristol |
Alma mater |
Wellington College, Berkshire University of Bristol |
Occupation | Politician, former architect, businessman |
Nickname(s) | Red Trousers, Junket George |
George Robin Paget Ferguson CBE, PPRIBA, RWA (born 22 March 1947)[1] is a British politician, former architect, entrepreneur, and the first elected Mayor of Bristol.
Ferguson was co-founder of Ferguson Mann Architects in 1979, where regeneration and historic building work formed the foundation of the practice. He was also founder of the national architectural group Acanthus.[2] He is a past president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (2003–2005)[3] where "he was noted for championing the causes of education, the environment and good urbanism".[4] He was a founding director of The Academy of Urbanism[5] and a founding member of the British sustainable transport charity Sustrans.[6] Ferguson was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours for services to architecture, and to the community in the South West of England.[7] In November 2012, Ferguson became the first elected Mayor of Bristol. He is noted for wearing red trousers.[8] He was a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers before deciding to leave the society due to conflicts of interests when becoming Mayor of Bristol.[9]
Early life
Ferguson was born on 22 March 1947, in the city of Winchester, in Hampshire. His father’s military career took the family to Gibraltar, to the South and North of England and to Norway prior to settling in Wiltshire.[10] While in Gibraltar, Ferguson contracted infant polio, which has left him with a distinct limp.[11]
Education
Ferguson was educated at Wellington College.[12] Ferguson read architecture at the University of Bristol from 1965 to 1971.[13] Ferguson has been awarded honorary degrees from the University of Bristol[14] and the University of the West of England.[4][15] Ferguson went to Bristol University in 1965 and, apart from one year in London, has lived in the city since.
Career in architecture
Urban renewal and environmental sustainability were central elements of Ferguson’s approach to design, exemplified by developments such as the Tobacco Factory. In 1978, Ferguson established Ferguson Mann Architects and the practice won many awards for innovative and sustainable design.[2][4][16]
In 1986, Ferguson founded Acanthus, the UK wide network of independent practices committed to excellence in design and conservation. Ferguson led the Acanthus team that contributed to the conservation plan for Foster & Partners and for Christo’s wrapping of the Reichstag in 1995.[2]
During his career, Ferguson has written and presented articles, broadcasts and lectures on planning and architectural matters and sustainability,[13] and appeared on the 2005 Channel 4 television series Demolition.[17] Ferguson fully stepped down from Ferguson Mann Architects after his election as Mayor of Bristol in order to concentrate on his new role within the city.[18] In December 2014, the Architects Registration Board investigated George Ferguson for using the protected title 'Architect' without being registered to do so under the Architects Act 1997. He admitted he had deliberately let his membership lapse and removed the term from his social media status.[19]
Regeneration in South Bristol
Ferguson is noted for his leading role in the regeneration of the Bedminster area of South Bristol.[20] In 1994, he bought the last remaining major building of the old Imperial Tobacco Raleigh Road estate for £200,000 to save it from demolition and turn it into an exemplar regeneration project.[21][22] The Tobacco Factory is now a mixed-use project, that includes the Tobacco Factory Theatre, bar, creative industry workspace and other creative activities that have helped kick start the regeneration of North Street.
In 2003, Ferguson bought the defunct Ashton Gate Brewery. Renamed The Bristol Beer Factory, it resumed beer brewing in 2005 using mostly locally-grown malt and hops and has won national awards including being nominated Drinks Producer of the Year in the BBC Food & Farming Awards 2011.[23]
Politics
Ferguson was one of the first three Liberal Councillors to be elected to Bristol City Council, representing Cabot Ward from 1973 to 1979.[20] He stood unsuccessfully for the Liberals in the 1983 and 1987 general elections in Bristol West, after which he ceased any active political involvement.[24]
In March 2012, Ferguson confirmed speculation that he was planning to stand as an independent candidate for Mayor of Bristol if the referendum on 3 May chose to adopt the Mayoral system.[25] Following the referendum, Ferguson resigned his membership from the Liberal Democrat party before announcing that he would stand for mayor, but explained that he had no intention to run as a party candidate: "Everyone knows that I am my own person. I'm a member of lots of things but I'm as independent as they come."[26]
Ferguson ran as an independent but registered his ‘Bristol 1st’ party to distinguish himself from other independents on the ballot paper.[27] In his campaign material, Ferguson stated "My only purpose is to make Bristol, the city I love, a better city for all. I have no political ambition beyond Bristol" and he set out his seven visions for Bristol.[28]
The election was held on 15 November 2012. On 16 November 2012, Ferguson was declared Bristol's first elected mayor, beating the second-place Labour candidate Marvin Rees by more than 6,000 votes. The election was held using supplementary vote, including second preference votes.[29] The election saw a low turnout of just 27.92% of the electorate participating.[30]
Ferguson takes a portion of his salary as Mayor in the local Bristol Pound which is easily converted back into sterling.[31][32] The salary of the Mayor of Bristol was aligned with the salary of a UK Member of Parliament in 2013,[33] and has not risen despite independent recommendations[34][35] and a 10% increase in MP's pay to £74,000.[36]
Mayor of Bristol
Ferguson was sworn in as the first directly-elected Mayor of Bristol in the Passenger Shed at Temple Meads Station on 20 November 2012. On his first day of taking office, Ferguson implemented two policies. He revoked Sunday car parking charges and announced that the ‘Council House’, the administrative seat of Bristol, would be renamed ‘City Hall'.[31]
Effectively an independent candidate, Ferguson appointed a "rainbow cabinet" comprising a deputy and five assistant mayors, drawn from all political parties.[37] He also appointed two youth mayors following a city wide election by the youth community.[38]
Public Image
Ferguson is widely known for wearing red trousers.
In May 2013, George Ferguson was caught on camera using a four-letter expletive directed at a member of public, 27-year-old artist Paul Saville, at a public event in Bristol city centre. George Ferguson later accused him of stalking and refused to apologise for the insult saying he "was not sorry". The event drew local and UK national media coverage, including the BBC, and quickly generated a series of T-shirts parodying the words he'd used.[39][40][41][42]
The following month the leader of the Conservative group of city councillors made an official complaint to the City Director about a "foul mouthed" outburst from the mayor. In a short exchange Mr Ferguson was reported to have used a four-letter word several times; an incident that sparked further media interest.[43][44] During the run-up to the Mayoral Election, in September 2012, Ferguson had been forced to apologise for suggesting some ways of developing the city may be "too Irish", a derogatory term implying that they were ludicrous or illogical.[45] In his defence in January 2015 Ferguson claimed "Occasionally I may have lost my rag with people....it may have been once a year....but it gets repeated and repeated and that becomes my image." In the same interview Ferguson tackled public perceptions of his "dictatorial" nature and pledged to be "more consensual" if he was re-elected.[46][47]
Budgets
In line with national Government austerity measures, one of Ferguson's first challenges was to cut £35 million from the 2013/14 budget and plan for a further £65 million in spending cuts over the following three years.[48] Most of the savings in the 2013/14 budget (approximately £20 million) were achieved through reductions and changes in council staffing.[48]
Over the next 12 months, the challenge to cut £65 million over three years had increased to £90 million. Again, Ferguson proposed to achieve most of the savings through staffing cuts and other efficiencies within the council (approximately £50 million). Several cuts proposed in the 2014-2017 draft budget generated feedback, such as a proposal to discontinue staff supervision at Hengrove Park.[49][50][51] Following the 2014–2017 Bristol city council budget public consultation, Ferguson and the Council removed some of the proposed changes.[52][53]
In February 2014, Ferguson launched ‘TreePips’, an initiative to have every primary school child in Bristol plant a tree, resulting in 36,000 extra trees planted by 2017.[54] At the same time the City's Tree Department had its funding cut by Ferguson by £300,000 per year by 2015.[55]
Traffic and transport
Ferguson has expressed his determination to tackle traffic congestion by trying to force a change in the city’s culture and get people out of cars and onto buses or bicycles.[56][57] On 7 January 2015, after a Bristol motorist posted a "joke" comment on social media implying that he had driven off after hitting a cyclist,[58] Mr Ferguson commented that his Tweet "has chilling echoes of 60's Deep South racism".[59] The following day, he was forced to apologise following public criticism of the comparison.[60]
Ferguson introduced ‘Make Sunday Special’, an idea borrowed from Bordeaux, one of Bristol's twin cities. On selected Sundays in the summer, some roads in the city centre are closed to motor vehicles and various entertainments or events are laid on.[31][61]
Ferguson’s plan to expand Residents Parking Zones (RPZ) across the city, in order to reduce the number of commuters driving into the city, has been highly contentious.[62][63] The plans were scaled back as a result of protests from some residents and businesses.[64] Ferguson has maintained that his RPZ proposals enjoy a high level of support from the "quiet majority".[65] However, in January 2015, the Council's own statistics revealed that over 90% of Clifton respondents in a request for feedback had objected to his plans. It was implemented after further alterations were made to the scheme.[66] The roll-out was beset by protests in several districts of the City where streets in Easton and Montpellier were barricaded to prevent the implementation.[67] The project infrastructure, ticket machines and painted lines, have also been widely vandalised costing an estimated £30,000 in repairs.[68][69]
Ferguson has proceeded with expanding 20 mph speed limits across the city, following pilots in Bedminster and east Bristol in 2010,[70] but contrary to a motion passed by the elected Council in November 2014 to limit the expansion only to those areas of Bristol that wanted them.[71] In February 2015, it transpired that Ferguson had been caught breaking the speed limit in a Bristol City Council fleet car whilst driving at 35 mph in a 30 mph area on a journey from Avonmouth along the Portway. Caught by a portable police speed camera, the Mayor apologised for breaking the law, though social media was quick to make accusations of hypocrisy based on his advocacy of lowered speed limits.[72] He was later "mocked" on the popular BBC TV show Top Gear.[73] In April 2015, Ferguson announced that the Portway, the road on which he was caught speeding, would be closed to motor vehicles on Sundays in the summer.[74]
International travel
Whilst continuing promotion of green and public transport options, Ferguson has been criticised for the number of foreign trips that he took in his role as Mayor. Concerns over the size of his carbon footprint, and the use of public funds for the trips were both concerns levelled at the mayor.[75][76][77] During a twelve-month period from January to December 2014, Ferguson and his entourage took sixteen international flights amounting to a carbon footprint of 6.5tons and George Ferguson's international travel as Bristol Mayor exceeded that of London's Mayor Boris Johnson in the same period.[78][79]
Bristol Port controversy
In March 2014, Ferguson expressed his intention to sell the freehold ownership of Avonmouth and Portbury docks which had been retained by the City Council since the leasehold was sold in 1991.[80] Controversy surrounded the sale from the beginning due to the connections between Ferguson and the Bristol Port Company's directors, through their membership of the secretive organisation The Society of Merchant Venturers.[81]
On 1 April 2014 the Mayor made the decision to make the sale based on the offered sum of £10 million. However elected councillors called-in the decision for debate citing the lack of transparency over the sale, lack of information provided by the Mayor, and a "one-sided" valuation of the 2,000 acres (810 ha) estate.[81] On 1 June 2015, Councillors debated the "flawed" and "suspicious" sale and the Mayor was told to reconsider it.[82] Ferguson didn't do this but continued with announcing the sale of the port land "with immediate effect" on a Cabinet meeting on 16 June 2015.[83]
At the same cabinet meeting, the Assistant Mayor with responsibility for property and transport, Mark Bradshaw, spoke out against the immediate sale and asked that Ferguson postpone the sale pending further information. Ferguson sacked Bradshaw from his cabinet position by email later the same evening.[84] Ferguson denied accusations that he'd sacked Bradshaw for opposing his wishes or being a threat to his hoped re-election and claimed Bradshaw had "started to use the cabinet and his position as a political stage for his own ambition".[85]
BRT, Metrobus
Metrobus, previously Bristol Rapid Transit (BRT), is a scheme developed jointly by the West of England Partnership: a partnership between Bristol City, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Councils.[86] It was in development from 2006 and received government backing in November 2013.[87] During the Mayoral election campaign, George Ferguson pledged to cancel the proposed BRT scheme if he was elected.[88][89] When he came to office, Ferguson made minor amendments to route proposals rather than cancelling the project. In July 2013, Ferguson announced that surrounding local authorities had approved the changes he'd proposed to the route of the planned BRT2 to avoid it running through the Bristol Harbourside area. The system, renamed Metrobus, was also changed to use modern low emission vehicles which were later dropped as a cost-cutting measure.[90][91][92] However, protest groups who challenged the route, cost, and feasibility of the scheme accused Ferguson of breaking the electoral promises laid out before the election.[88]
A second challenge to Ferguson's support of the Metrobus project came when the next phase of the scheme was submitted for planning consent in March 2014.[93] Objections to the planning application were raised over the proposed felling of mature trees along the whole of the length of the North Fringe to Hengrove route, to the loss of Grade 1 agricultural land at Stapleton, the damage to the setting of Grade 1 Listed Stoke Park house and the Grade 2 Registered historic designed landscape surrounding it, and the lack of public consultation over the proposals.[94] Following the approval of the scheme by the Planning authority on August 2014 work began in January 2015 causing further protest, and activists set up camp in trees that the Council were about to fell. Ferguson's support for the project remained resolute. With Bristol's status as European Green Capital in 2015, Ferguson reiterated his support for the scheme and referred to the developing protest as "a challenging situation" and claimed he had "done more than anyone to minimise the environmental effects of the Metrobus project".[95][96] Protesters attended a press event at which Ferguson was present with Government Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss planting the 1 millionth tree of the national Big Tree Plant programme. At it, he accused the protesters of "blowing this issue out of all proportion".[96]
European Green Capital
In March 2013, Ferguson led a delegation from Bristol to Brussels to present Bristol’s bid to be European Green Capital 2015. It was announced on 14 June 2013 that Bristol had won.[97]
Green Capital Controversy
In December 2014, the proposed recipients of Bristol's Green Capital Strategic Grants were announced. Grants were awarded by a limited company, Bristol 2015 Ltd, of which George Ferguson was a director. 136 groups applied for funding, only 32 were accepted, 10 of which Bristol 2015 board members own, manage, or work for and accounted for £500,000 of the total grants made. Andrew Garrard, who'd been the second largest donor to George Ferguson's election campaign, was appointed Managing Director of Bristol 2015 Ltd. He was also a member of the same Society of Merchant Venturers from whom Ferguson had stood down from shortly after the election though continued to maintain close connections. A company called Playing Out CIC, of which Ferguson's daughter is Managing Director,[98] received £41,000 raising questions aboit the public accountability of Bristol 2015 Ltd, and apparent conflicts of interest between its directors, employees, and outside organisations.[99]
Concerns continued over Bristol 2015 Ltd's management of the Council's £7 million government Green Capital year grant, and the £1 million from the Council's own funds. As the Limited Company had no legal requirement to publish its accounts concerns were raised with Mr Ferguson, as mayor and a company director, that there was a lack of transparency in how public money had been spent, and how certain elements, such as a web site that cost almost a quarter of a million pounds, had been procured and managed.[100] At the closing ceremony on 5 February 2015 protesters were branded "lunatics" by Mr Ferguson, and, although still refusing to publish the accounts, claimed "I have nothing to hide".[101] He later dismissed the debate about the use of the £8 million as a "fuss about the cost of sandwiches".[102]
Bristol arena
Ferguson made the creation of an indoor music and entertainment arena one of the central pledges of his mayoral campaign. The scheme was approved as part of Bristol City Council's budget in February 2014 and the 12,000 capacity venue near Temple Meads station was expected to open in 2017. The bulk of funding came as a loan of £53 million from the City Deal to be repaid by the retention of business rates arising from regeneration, via the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, while the Council will loan a further £38 million to be financed by the lease to the operator.[103] The costs involved in the project spiralled from £80m when it was first proposed by Ferguson, to £92.5m by October 2015, a 16% increase in budget, and the proposed opening delayed until 2018.[104][105] By 17 September 2015 the project cost had risen to £94m.[106] It was also revealed that the 12,000 capacity arena would be provided with not more than 45 car parking spaces.[107]
The City Deal
In March 2014, Ferguson, together with the leaders of the three surrounding authorities that form the West of England, agreed a ‘City Deal’ with Government. This allows Bristol to retain income from business rates and decide how the money should be spent. In the past, the Government has kept business rates to be distributed nationally.[108] However, in January 2015, with Bristol City Council still to sign the deal, Ferguson launched an alternative partnership for a City Region with the cities of Cardiff and Newport in Wales. Rejecting the previous partnership negotiated with the city's neighbouring Local Authorities he stated "I like to move at the pace of the fastest, not the slowest".[109] By February 2016 surrounding Local authorities had still not been consulted on the "Great Western Cities Plan" leading to concerns that Ferguson was jeopardising devolution discussions with government. The Deputy Leader of neighbouring North Somerset Council, Elfan Ap Rees, said "We're in the middle of trying to sort out the devolution deal to our benefit for the West of England and here's the mayor (George Ferguson) trotting off to do something entirely different. It's ridiculous."[110]
Private life
George Ferguson is married to Lavinia. The couple separated in 2000 following a well publicised affair with a BBC Journalist, Helen Reed, although they remain married.[111] They have three grown children: Alice, John and Corrina.
Ferguson has been involved in several local charities including the Avon Youth Association, Cruse, and Starfish. He is also a trustee of the University of Bristol Union.[112]
Ferguson was appointed High Sheriff of Bristol when that office was revived in 1996 and served for one year.[113] He was also previously a board member of the think tank Demos from 2007 to 2010, a trustee of the Arnolfini Arts Centre until 2012, and a member of the controversial private group, The Society of Merchant Venturers until 2012.[112]
Notes
- ↑ "George Ferguson RWA". Royal West of England Academy. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
- 1 2 3 "Biography of the Mayor". Bristol City Council. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
- ↑ "Wienerberger lecture: Brick is Back". RIBA. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
- 1 2 3 "George Ferguson". Grand Designs Awards. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
- ↑ "The Academy of Urbanism". 19 November 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ↑ "BikeBiz". 19 November 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 59282. p. 7. 31 December 2009.
- ↑ "Bristol City Ashton Gate Tesco plan George Ferguson". Evening Post (Bristol News and Media Ltd). 3 June 2009. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
- ↑ "Massive Attack star criticises Bristol Mayor candidate George Ferguson". Bristol Evening Post. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ↑ "PROFILE: Bristol's new mayor George Ferguson". Bristol Post. 16 November 2012.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor's speech: George Ferguson outlines his vision for a bold, energised, green city". Bristol Post. 19 November 2013.
- ↑ "PROFILE: Bristol's new mayor George Ferguson". Bristol Post. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- 1 2 "George Ferguson: architect at home". Architects Journal (EMAP). 16 September 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2009. (subscription required (help)).
- ↑ "Honorary Graduates". University of Bristol. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
- ↑ "Honorary Graduates of the University of the West of England". Bristol UWE. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
- ↑ "Ferguson Mann Profile". Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ↑ "Demolition". Channel 4. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
- ↑ "George Ferguson elected as Mayor, November 2012". Ferguson Mann Architects. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
- ↑ "Twitter 'trolls' give Ferguson Arb headache". Building Design.
- 1 2 "Bristol UWE – News". info.uwe.ac.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
- ↑ Gillilan, Leslie (17 April 2005). "Lighting up time". The Guardian.
- ↑ "Creative Industry Buildings as Anchors for High Streets - The Tobacco Factory, Bristol". Town Centred. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor George Ferguson's Grain Barge put up for sale". Bristol Post. 31 January 2013.
- ↑ "George Ferguson’s pre-election interview". 24-7.
- ↑ Staff (18 April 2012). "Stand up and be counted: George Ferguson kick-starts Bristol mayor debate". thisisbristol.co.uk (Northcliffe Media). Retrieved 18 April 2012.
- ↑ "Mud begins to fly in race to become Bristol's elected mayor". Bristol Evening Post. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor: George Ferguson elected to lead city". BBC. 16 November 2012.
- ↑ "Vision for Bristol". Bristol 1st. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol City Council". Retrieved 16 November 2012.
- ↑ "Elected Bristol mayor 'may struggle in face of low voter turnout' - This is Bristol - Bristol Post". Bristol Post.
- 1 2 3 "Bristol Mayor George Ferguson sworn in and scrapping Sunday parking charges". Bristol Post. 20 November 2012.
- ↑ "With "Bristol Pound" locals keep currency and wealth close to home". Citiscope. 16 January 2014.
- ↑ "Bristol Mayor George Ferguson's annual salary agreed". BBC. 15 January 2013.
- ↑ "Panel recommends 13% pay rise for Bristol Mayor George Ferguson". The Bristol Post. 16 February 2015.
- ↑ "Mayor's salary increase to be rejected". Bristol 24/7. 20 May 2015.
- ↑ "MPs given go ahead for 10% pay rise to £74,000". BBC. 16 July 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol Mayor George Ferguson unveils his "rainbow cabinet"". Bristol Post. 17 May 2013.
- ↑ "Bristol elects youth mayors". Bristol City Council. 11 February 2013.
- ↑ "Mayor George Ferguson defends four-letter outburst". Bristol Post. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
- ↑ "George Ferguson's four-letter outburst turned into T-shirt design". Bristol Post. Bristol Post. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
- ↑ ""Hilarious": George Ferguson's verdict on range of t-shirts inspired by his four-letter outburst | Bristol Post". Bristol Post. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor George Ferguson defends swearing at member of public". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
- ↑ "Complaint lodged after George Ferguson". Bristol Post. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor George Ferguson swears at Conservative leader". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
- ↑ "Bristol Mayor candidate George Ferguson in Irish gaffe apology". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
- ↑ "George Ferguson accused of being a dictator at fiery RPZ meeting in Bristol". Bristol Post. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor George Ferguson denies 'dictatorial' slur". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
- 1 2 "Bristol councillors approve mayor George Ferguson's first budget which includes £35 million cuts". Bristol Post. 26 February 2013.
- ↑ "Bristol political parties attack mayor George Ferguson's budget plan". Bristol Post. 20 November 2013.
- ↑ "Anger as mayor threatens to axe popular children’s play park in South Bristol". Retrieved 16 November 2013.
- ↑ "Stars show support: Backing for campaign to keep Hengrove play park open". Bristol Post. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- ↑ "Reprieve for Bristol's public toilets in Mayor's revised budget cuts". BBC. 15 January 2014.
- ↑ "Updated Budget Proposals" (PDF). Bristol City Council. January 2014.
- ↑ "TreePips: Project to plant 36,000 new trees in Bristol". Bristol Post. 27 February 2014.
- ↑ "Bristol Tree Forum Mon 13th Jan, City Hall" (PDF). Euronova. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
- ↑ "In George Ferguson, Bristol’s first elected mayor is also its innovator-in-chief". Citiscope. 13 January 2014.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor George Ferguson sets up congestion charge study". BBC. 9 May 2013.
- ↑ "Police step in after Bristol man tweets that he hit cyclist". the Guardian.
- ↑ "George Ferguson on Twitter". Twitter.
- ↑ "Stockbroker tweet latest: Bristol mayor George Ferguson apologises over comparing cyclists to victims of racism". Bristol Post.
- ↑ "In Bristol, car-free carnivals make Sundays special". Citiscope. 15 January 2014.
- ↑ "How residents’ parking schemes (RPS) fits into the big picture". Bristol City Council. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
- ↑ "Bristol petition against parking zones sparks debate". BBC. 28 May 2013.
- ↑ "Bristol RPZ: Eight areas removed from mayor's plan". BBC. 27 June 2013.
- ↑ "George Ferguson on Twitter". Twitter.
- ↑ "Blow for Bristol mayor George Ferguson as survey reveals 90% still against Clifton Village RPZ". Bristol Post.
- ↑ "Montpelier residents barricade road to stop RPZ lines being painted". Bristol Post. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Vandals destroy parking machines and signs ahead of permit scheme roll out in parts of Bristol". Bristol Post. 24 June 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ Emanuel, Louis. "RPZ bays painted over in barricaded street". B24/7. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "First Bristol 20 mph limit to come into force". BBC. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Anger at Bristol's 20mph zones". ITV. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor George Ferguson caught speeding in a 30mph zone". Bristol Post. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor George Ferguson mocked on Top Gear for being caught speeding in a 30mph zone". Bristol Post. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol Portway to be closed to traffic on Sundays". Bristol Post. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol Post becomes ‘lifestyle’ publication". Bristol Culture. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "An Irregular Look at Bristol's Millionaire Mayor and his Globetrotting". The Bristolian. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Cost of George Ferguson foreign trip comes under scrutiny". Bristol Post. 19 April 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Carbon footprint from the mayor's international travel". What do they know. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor 'made most trips abroad'". BBC. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ Gardner, Rachel (14 May 2014). "Plan by mayor George Ferguson to sell freehold of Bristol Port can go ahead after call-in". Bristol Post. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- 1 2 Cantwell-Corn, Adam. "Controversy surrounds Mayor Ferguson’s proposed sale of the council’s freehold over the Avonmouth Docks. We look behind the story.". Bristol Cable. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Mayor told to re-think £10 million deal to sell Bristol Port". Bristol Post. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "George Ferguson approves Avonmouth Docks freehold sale". Bristol Post. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor sacks Mark Bradshaw from cabinet after port row". BBC. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol Mayor George Ferguson sacks Mark Bradshaw from cabinet for "playing politics"". Bristol Post. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Metrobus". Travel West. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Government Approves Bristol Metrobus". BBC. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- 1 2 "Bristol's bus 'rapid transit' plan challenged". BBC. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor candidate pledges to scrap city bus plan". BBC. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Bristol mayor George Ferguson gets his way on rapid transport route change". Bristol Post. 13 February 2013.
- ↑ "Cumberland Road option chosen for Bus Rapid Transit plan". Bristol 24-7. 28 June 2013.
- ↑ "MetroBus could only operate three times an hour instead of five as originally planned". Bristol Post. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
- ↑ "MetroBus: North Fringe to Hengrove".
- ↑ "Protesters angry as controversial plans for a MetroBus route for north Bristol narrowly approved".
- ↑ "Mayor's response to the MetroBus open letter".
- 1 2 "Bristol tree-planting ceremony gatecrashed - by protesters trying to save trees".
- ↑ "Bristol named European Green Capital for 2015". BBC. 14 June 2013.
- ↑ "Who We Are". Playing Out. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "The Bristol Cable - Exclusive: £500,000 Green Capital conflict of interest?".
- ↑ "New allegations about missing millions".
- ↑ "Anger during Mayor's interview over Green Capital money millions".
- ↑ "Ferguson in new pledges at campaign launch".
- ↑ "Bristol City Council agrees to help fund £91m Arena". BBC. 19 February 2014.
- ↑ "Bid for £80 million towards Bristol arena". Bristol Post. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
- ↑ "Bristol Arena: Four-month 'slippage' for opening date". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
- ↑ Onions, Ian (17 September 2015). "Bristol's £94m arena: more than a venue for rock gigs (but there's no car parking)". Bristol Post. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Only 45 parking spaces at 'sustainable' arena". Bristol 24-7.
- ↑ "Elected mayor George Ferguson has helped to unlock £1billion business investment in Bristol, says minister". South West Business. 6 March 2014.
- ↑ "City region plan for Cardiff, Newport and Bristol unveiled". BBC. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ↑ "Cities alliance moves a step closer". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
- ↑ "Profile: Bristol's new mayor". Bristol Post. Bristol Evening Post. 16 November 2012.
- 1 2 "Declaration of Interest" (PDF). Bristol City Council. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 54345. p. 3831. 14 March 1996. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
External links
- Ferguson Mann Architects
- Acanthus
- Tobacco Factory
- Bristol Beer Factory
- George Ferguson's blog
- Urban Design for Our Time, presentation for Urban Design Group by George Ferguson
- Satirical Song - Mad Mayor George