Two years’ work is about to get underway to ensure Bristol City Council is ready to replace an elected mayor and cabinet with a committee system.
The new way the local authority will be run – voted for in a legally binding referendum on Thursday (May 5) by an overwhelming majority of 59 per cent to 41 per cent – comes into force in 2024 after current mayor Marvin Rees finishes his second term in office. It will see groups of councillors make decisions, with full council of all 70 elected members required to set the budget, council tax and key governance policies.
Other powers will be delegated to committees, such as housing, finance & performance, education, transport, environment, adult social care and children’s services. The process is expected to begin when the referendum is ratified at an extraordinary meeting of full council on Tuesday, May 24.
