The city council’s Labour group has promised to help make the committee system work after last week’s momentous referendum result to scrap Bristol’s mayor. Residents voted by 59 per cent to 41 per cent to abolish the position from 2024 and instead give groups of councillors the power to make decisions.
A cross-party working group is now being set up to thrash out the details, with main opposition Green group leader Cllr Heather Mack saying there had been an encouraging start as representatives from different parties were already agreeing on most issues. Labour and Greens each have 24 councillors on Bristol City Council but under the mayoral model, current office holder Marvin Rees has sole say on cabinet positions and has filled them all with members of his own Labour party.
The referendum was triggered when a legally binding Lib Dem motion backed the Greens, received support from the other opposition groups – the Conservatives and Knowle Community Party – at a full council meeting in December, while Labour voted against. That sentiment along party lines was mirrored in the campaign ahead of the city-wide poll on Thursday, May 5.
