Mayor of Bristol

This article is about the directly elected Mayor of Bristol. For Lord Mayor of Bristol, see List of Lord Mayors of Bristol.
Mayor of Bristol City
Incumbent
George Ferguson
since 16 November 2012
Style City Mayor (to distinguish from Lord Mayor, a separate post)
Appointer Elected
Term length Four years

The Mayor of Bristol is the head of Bristol City Council. The Mayor is an elected politician who, along with the 70 members of Bristol City Council, is responsible for the strategic government of the city of Bristol, England. The role was created after a local referendum held on 3 May 2012, which followed the passage of the Localism Act 2011.[1] 41,032 voted for an elected mayor and 35,880 voted against, with a turnout of 24%.[2][3] An election for the new post was held on 15 November 2012.[4][5]

The current Mayor is George Ferguson, elected on 15 November 2012.

The post of Lord Mayor of Bristol is a separate office, a ceremonial figurehead, elected each May by city councillors.[6]

Background

The Local Government Act 2000 required local authorities in the United Kingdom to move from the traditional committee-based system of decision making to one based on an executive, also allowing the possibility of a directly elected mayor.[7] The first directly elected mayor was in Greater London in 2000.[8] Others followed in other authorities, including Hartlepool,[9] Middlesbrough,[9] Tower Hamlets,[10] Liverpool[11] and Salford.[12]

Referendum campaign

Following the passage of The City of Bristol (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 by the United Kingdom Parliament in February 2012,[13] a referendum was announced for 3 May 2012.[14] Nine other cities also held referendums on the same day: Birmingham,[15] Bradford,[16] Coventry,[17] Leeds,[18] Manchester,[19] Newcastle upon Tyne,[20] Nottingham,[21] Sheffield[22] and Wakefield.[23] In addition, Doncaster Borough Council voted to hold a referendum on the same day to decide whether or not to retain their existing elected mayoral system, having been one of the earliest authorities to adopt the mayoral system in 2001.[24][25]

Campaigning groups supporting (A Mayor for Bristol)[26] and opposing (Bristol Says No!)[27] an elected mayor were established. A debate organised by the University of Bristol took place in the Council House on 22 February 2012.[28]

During the campaign, there were complaints that many voters did not receive leaflets produced by the city council explaining what the referendum was about.[29][30] Cities minister, Greg Clark accused the council of inaccuracies in the leaflet and refused to cover the printing costs.[31] After Clark promised more powers would be available to Bristol with an elected mayor, the city council accused him of "blackmail".[32]

The result, declared on 4 May 2012 by returning officer Stephen McNamara, was in favour of creating the position. Bristol was the only one of the ten cities voting that day to choose having an elected mayor.[5]

Bristol Mayoral referendum
4 May 2012
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Elected Mayor 41,032 53
Cabinet System 35,880 47
Total votes 76,912 100.00
Source: [3]

Elections

The first election for the new post was held on 15 November 2012,[33] the same day as elections for a Police and Crime Commissioner for the Avon and Somerset Constabulary area.[34] A number of potential candidates expressed and interest in standing,[35] and 15 candidates stood for election to be Mayor.[36]

The supplementary vote system is used for the elections, with each voter being entitled to list a first and second choice candidate. In this system if no candidate has more than half of the votes plus one in the first round of counting, all candidates other than the top two are eliminated and voters' second choices from the eliminated candidates are then allocated to the remaining candidates. The second election for Mayor of Bristol will take place in May 2016.[37]

2012

Bristol Mayoral election 15 November 2012
Party Candidate 1st Round % 2nd Round Total  First Round Votes  Transfer Votes 
Bristol 1st George Ferguson 31,321 35.13% 6,032 37,353
​ ​
Labour Marvin Rees 25,896 29.05% 5,363 31,259
​ ​
Conservative Geoff Gollop 8,136 9.13%
​ ​
Liberal Democrat Jon Rogers 6,202 6.96%
​ ​
Green Daniella Radice 5,248 5.89%
​ ​
Independent Owain George 2,404 2.70%
​ ​
Independent Spud Murphy 1,855 2.08%
​ ​
Respect Neil Maggs 1,568 1.76%
​ ​
Independent Stoney Garnett 1,413 1.58%
​ ​
TUSC Tom Baldwin 1,412 1.58%
​ ​
Independent Tim Collins 1,037 1.16%
​ ​
Independent Philip Pover 994 1.11%
​ ​
Independent Tony Britt 761 0.85%
​ ​
Independent Rich Fisher 494 0.55%
​ ​
The Birthday Party Dave Dobbs 411 0.46%
​ ​
Bristol 1st win

List of Mayors

Political party Name Entered office Left office
Bristol 1st George Ferguson 15 Nov 2012 Incumbent

See also

References

  1. ↑ Parry, Keith (19 April 2012). "Directly-elected mayors – Commons Library Standard Note". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "The City of Bristol Mayoral Referendum result". Bristol City Council. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  3. 1 2 Staff (4 May 2012). "Bristol votes in favour of directly-elected mayor". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  4. ↑ "Directly Elected Mayor – What does it mean for Bristol?". Bristol City Council. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  5. 1 2 Staff (5 May 2012). "Bristol stands alone as only city to vote for an elected mayor". This is Bristol. Northcliffe Media. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  6. ↑ "Lord Mayor of Bristol". Bristol City Council. 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  7. ↑ "Local Government Act 2000". legislation.gov.uk. 28 July 2000. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  8. ↑ Assinder, Nick (5 May 2000). "Ken's blow to New Labour". BBC News (London: BBC). Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Elected Mayors". New Local Government Network. 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  10. ↑ "Meet the Mayor". London Borough of Tower Hamlets. 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  11. ↑ "Why a mayor for Liverpool? –". Liverpool City Council. 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  12. ↑ "Election results –". Salford City Council. 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "The City of Bristol (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012". legislation.gov.uk. UK Parliament. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  14. ↑ Staff (22 February 2012). "Bristol elected mayor idea has been debated". BBC News (BBC). Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  15. ↑ UK Parliament. The City of Birmingham (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  16. ↑ UK Parliament. The City of Bradford (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  17. ↑ UK Parliament. 327/1 The City of Coventry (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  18. ↑ UK Parliament. 328/1 The City of Leeds (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  19. ↑ UK Parliament. 329/1 The City of Manchester (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  20. ↑ UK Parliament. 330/1 The City of Newcastle upon Tyne (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  21. ↑ UK Parliament. 331/1 The City of Nottingham (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  22. ↑ UK Parliament. 332/1 The City of Sheffield (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  23. ↑ UK Parliament. 333/1 The City of Wakefield (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  24. ↑ "Voters to decide on mayor’s future". The Star. 15 May 2012.
  25. ↑ Staff (4 May 2012). "English mayoral referendum results". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  26. ↑ "A Mayor for Bristol". bristolmayor.org. 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  27. ↑ "Bristol says NO! | vote no to an elected Mayor in the referendum". bristolsaysno.org. 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  28. ↑ "Mayoral debate". Bristol University. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  29. ↑ Staff (17 April 2012). "Bristol mayor referendum leaflets failing to drop on mats". This Is Bristol (Northcliffe Media). Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  30. ↑ Staff (5 April 2012). "Mayoral referendum: Bristol council's call over leaflet". BBC News (BBC). Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  31. ↑ Staff (5 April 2012). "Bristol City Council mayoral leaflets 'not fair or balanced'". work=BBC News (BBC). Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  32. ↑ Staff (15 March 2012). "Government accused of blackmail over Bristol elected mayor". BBC News (BBC). Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  33. ↑ Staff (7 May 2012). "Bristol's elected mayor will have to tackle 'council malaise'". This is Bristol (Northcliffe Media). Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  34. ↑ "Future elections in Bristol". Bristol City Council. 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  35. ↑ Staff (5 May 2012). "Bristol mayoral election: Expect a flurry of hopefuls". This is Bristol (Northcliffe Media). Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  36. ↑ "Candidates and campaign groups". Bristol City Council. 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  37. ↑ "Future elections in Bristol". Bristol City Council. 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
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