Bristol City Council

Bristol City Council is the local authority of Bristol, England. The council is a unitary authority, and is unusual in the United Kingdom in that its executive function is controlled by a directly elected mayor of Bristol. Bristol has 35 wards, electing a total of 70 councillors.[6]

Bristol City Council
Coat of arms
Council logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974 (1974-04-01)
Leadership
Cllr Steve Smith, Conservative
since 25 May 2021[1]
Marvin Rees, Labour
since 7 May 2016
Deputy Mayors
Cllr Craig Cheney
Cllr Asher Craig, Labour
Opposition Leader
Cllr Heather Mack[2], Green
since 24 November 2021
Chief Executive
Mike Jackson[3]
Structure
Seats1 executive mayor
70 councillors[4]
Council political groups
  Green (24)
  Labour (24)
  Conservative (14)
  Liberal Democrat (6)
  Knowle Community Party (2)
Length of term
Executive mayor elected every four years
Full council election every 4 years.[5] Formerly a third elected three years out of four until 2016.
Elections
Plurality-at-large
Supplementary vote
Council last election
6 May 2021 (all councillors)
Mayor last election
6 May 2021
Council next election
2023 (all councillors)
Mayor next election
2023
Motto
Virtute et Industria (By Virtue and Industry)
Meeting place
City Hall, College Green, Bristol
Website
www.bristol.gov.uk

History
Main article: History of Bristol City Council

The council was formed by the Local Government Act 1972. It was first elected in 1973, a year before formally coming into its powers and prior to the creation of the non-metropolitan district of Bristol on 1 April 1974.

Under the Local Government Act 1972 Bristol as a non-metropolitan district council would share power with the Avon County Council. This arrangement lasted until 1996 when Avon County Council was abolished and Bristol City Council gained responsibility for services that had been provided by the county council.

Political composition

Mayor
Main article: Mayor of Bristol

The mayor of Bristol following the 2021 mayoral election is Marvin Rees for the Labour Party. Originally intended to serve for four years from 2016, his first term was extended by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was re-elected for a shortened three-year term in 2021.[7]

Rees had previously ran in the first Bristol mayoral election, coming second place to the independent George Ferguson.

Councillors

Since the 2021 Bristol City Council election the council has been under no overall control, with both the Green Party and Labour holding the same number of seats. The council had previously been controlled by the Labour Party since 2016.

The Liberal Democrats gained 8 seats in the election. However, on 13 December 2021 former Lord Mayor Chris Davies and former Lib Dem Bristol group leader Gary Hopkins defected from the party to form the Knowle Community Party.[8]

Party Councillors
Green 24
Labour 24
Conservative 14
Liberal Democrats 6
Knowle Community Party 2

Current councillors
Ward Party Councillor
Ashley Labour Amirah Cole
Green Jude English
Green Tim Wye
Avonmouth & Lawrence Weston Labour Donald Alexander
Conservative John Geater
Conservative James Scott
Bedminster Labour Mark Bradshaw
Green Tessa Fitzjohn
Bishopston & Ashley Down Green Emma Edwards
Green Lily Fitzgibbon
Bishopsworth Conservative Richard Eddy
Conservative Kevin Quarterly
Brislington East Labour Katja Hornchen
Labour Tim Rippington
Brislington West Liberal Democrats Jos Clark
Liberal Democrats Andrew Varney
Central Labour Farah Hussain
Green Ani Stafford-Townsend
Clifton Green Katy Grant
Green Paula O'Rourke
Clifton Down Green Carla Denyer
Green Tom Hathway
Cotham Green Mohamed Makawi
Green Guy Poultney
Easton Green Jenny Bartle
Green Barry Parsons
Eastville Labour Marley Bennett
Green Lorraine Francis
Filwood Labour Zoe Goodman
Labour Chris Jackson
Frome Vale Conservative Lesley Alexander
Labour Amal Ali
Hartcliffe & Withywood Labour Kerry Bailes
Labour Helen Holland
Labour Paul Goggin
Henbury & Brentry Conservative Mark Weston
Conservative Chris Windows
Hengrove & Whitchurch Park Liberal Democrats Andrew Brown
Liberal Democrats Sarah Classick
Liberal Democrats Tim Kent
Hillfields Labour Craig Cheney
Labour Ellie King
Horfield Labour Philippa Hulme
Labour Tom Renhard
Hotwells & Harbourside Liberal Democrats Alex Hartley
Knowle Knowle Community Party Chris Davies
Knowle Community Party Gary Hopkins
Lawrence Hill Labour Hibaq Jama
Green Yassin Mohamud
Lockleaze Green Heather Mack
Green David Wilcox
Redland Green Martin Fodor
Green Fi Hance
Southmead Labour Helen Godwin
Labour Brenda Massey
Southville Green Tony Dyer
Green Christine Townsend
St George Central Labour Nicola Beech
Labour Steve Pearce
St George Troopers Hill Labour Fabian Breckels
St George West Labour Asher Craig
Stockwood Conservative Jonathan Hucker
Conservative Graham Morris
Stoke Bishop Conservative John Goulandris
Conservative Henry Michallat
Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze Conservative Geoff Gollop
Conservative Sharon Scott
Conservative Steve Smith
Windmill Hill Green Ed Plowden
Green Lisa Stone

Current Cabinet

The Cabinet is led by Mayor Marvin Rees and currently consists of 7 members (including Rees). All Cabinet Members are currently part of the Labour Party.[9]

Position Party Person
Mayor, lead on Planning and City Design Labour Marvin Rees
Deputy Mayor, Cabinet Member for Finance, Governance and Performance Labour Craig Cheney
Deputy Mayor, Cabinet Member for Communities, Equalities and Public Health Labour Asher Craig
Cabinet Member for Women and Families (Lead Member for Children’s Services) Labour Helen Godwin
Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care Labour Helen Holland
Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology, Waste and Energy Labour Nicola Beech
Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes Labour Tom Renhard
Cabinet Member for Transport Labour Don Alexander

See also

References
  1. "Councillor Steve Smith elected Bristol's new Lord Mayor". Bristol City Council Newsroom. 25 May 2021.
  2. "Green Group elects new leadership team". Bristol Green Party.
  3. "North Somerset Council chief executive to move to Bristol City Council". 22 March 2018.
  4. "Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections". Opencouncildata.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  5. Bristol City Council
  6. Bristol City Council
  7. "Mayoral election results". Bristol City Council. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  8. Booth, Martin (13 December 2021). "Longstanding Lib Dem Councillors' resignations throw party into turmoil". Bristol24-7. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  9. "The Mayor and Cabinet". Bristol City Council.
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