The vote to scrap Bristol’s mayor will make local politics “more straightforward”, metro mayor Dan Norris believes. Mr Norris, who heads the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) and has had a series of public bust-ups with the leaders of the three councils that comprise the regional body, says he is keen to be part of talks to thrash out how the new committee system will work from 2024.
Residents decided by 59 per cent to 41 per cent in this month’s referendum to abolish the role of directly elected Bristol mayor and cabinet and instead let groups of councillors make the city council’s decisions. It will come into force after current Bristol mayor Marvin Rees completes his second term in office in two years’ time.
Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol’s John Darvall on Monday (May 16), West of England Labour mayor Mr Norris, who is in charge of the region’s strategic planning, local transport, skills and economic growth, said: “It will make things more straightforward. What was very clear when I stood 12 months ago was that a lot of my campaign was about having to tell people what the West of England Combined Authority mayor did because there was confusion with the Bristol mayor and things like the lord mayor and other mayors around the region.
