Bristol’s Council House
Bristol’s Council House will be renamed Bristol City Hall if George Ferguson is elected as mayor, the independent candidate has said today.
Mr Ferguson said the symbolic name change would reflect the idea that the building is owned by the people, rather than the council.
The announcement comes in advance of an event next Wednesday at the big top tent near Temple Meads station, at which he aims to invite the people of Bristol to tell him what their priorities are for the city.
“My aim is to make everyone in Bristol feel included in the governance of the city. As an independent mayor who puts Bristol first in all decision making, I shall be answerable to the people of Bristol in contrast to a party candidate who will always be answerable to his or her party,” he said.
“Bristol has voted for change – I offer that freedom from the party games that have plagued Bristol’s governance. Bristol deserves something better – we do not want more of the same in a different guise.
“As an important symbol of change – it is my intention to rename The Council House, which implies that it belongs to the Council, to that of Bristol City Hall which belongs to the people. It is significant that Bristol’s council decided to claim ‘The Council House’ for itself when most great English cities have a Town Hall or City Hall that is seen as belonging to the city.”
Next Wednesday, between 6.30pm and 8.30pm, the red-trousered architect will be hosting what he describes as “a good old fashioned political rally” which will include the launch of a campaign song written and donated by Bristol singer and supporter, Sarah Menage.
The announcement comes a day after it emerged Labour candidate Marvin Rees has become the bookies’ favourite to become Bristol’s first elected mayor.
The vote takes place in November, after the city became the only one in Britain to vote ‘yes’ in a referendum in May to have an elected mayor.
THANK GOODNESS – BRISTOL STILL HAS A COUNCIL HOUSE – MR. MAYOR – NOT A CITY HALL -THIS IS A FACT – YOU ARE NOT GOING TO ALTER OVER 300 YEARS OF HISTORY – I WAS ADOPTED BY BRISTOL 80 YEARS AGO – AND I LOVE BRISTOL AND EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
Bristol has a Council House NOT a City Hall.
Bristol has had a Council House for over 300 years and still has one.
What a complete waste of money! Just how much is it going to cost to change headed note paper etc. I can think of hundreds of different ways that money could be spent. Does it really matter what a building is called?
Come on Bristol lets get our priorities right!
The name "Bristol City Hall" will upset all the Rovers supporters, but Ferguson won't care, as its the red half of the city that use his bar on matchdays!
I understand Aston Villa fans defeated a scheme to rename the Birmingham Council House a few years back…..
Marvin Rees seems a nice chap, but probably not quite ready for the job.
George Ferguson is the best candidate to declare.
One person who could be an excellent mayoral candidate- the impressive transport portfolio holder Tim Kent.
Marvin Rees is the Bristol Labour candidate but so far has failed to comment on the negative campaigning that Darren Lewis the chair of Bristol Labour Party has conducted against George Ferguson.
Rees has repeatedly said that he wants to conduct a positive campaign and not indulge in petty politics.
Well the evidence so far is that Rees is either a coward or an hypocrite. If he truly wants to run a positive campaign, he should be condemning the antics of the chair of the party he has been chosen to represent.
The alternative is that he is happy for the chair of his party to behave in this fashion and is simply hoping that none of the mud slinging ends up on his nice clean PR image, In other words, Lewis as chair of Bristol Labour has the full support of Rees as mayoral candidate for Bristol Labour.
It is time for Marvin Rees to stop hiding, and come out and say what he thinks about the negative campaigning of his party chair.
So the Chair of Bristol Labour Party attacks a George Ferguson policy and promotes his own candidate. Give us all a break from this old style party politics.
Especially when your defeated Lab Bris West candidate backs you up. Reforming the council house in what way Paul ? Is there a policy that Marvin has put out on this issue ? And will you actually increase funding for meals on wheels Darren when your party backs austerity at local and national level.
Is it seriously being suggested that Marvin Rees has any policies at all for risk of being attacked ? And "Introducing Bright Poor Kids to Professionals" is not a policy. Its a one off networking session for his image.
The council needs reforming not renaming
The council needs reforming not renaming
That depends on whether one considers Bristol City Council a "fit and proper" organisation to run an English local authority.
Oh my goodness yes. They are all talking about this down Knowle West & just the other day a lady at the bus stop in Whitehall told me "I can't afford to pay for my meals on wheels but I feel really disenfranchised by Bristol City Council calling its building the Council House."
This is the politics of a man who lives and has always lived a life of plenty. It's the politics of the PR guru.
It bears no resemblance to the issues, fears and aspirations raised by Bristol's citizens to people on their doorstep.
If you want to see a programme that makes a difference take a look at the Labour Candidate Marvin Rees who is running a programme to introduce bright poor kids to professionals and let them gain access to information others take for granted. I want someone like Marvin to be Mayor because he doesn't just understand the problems of inner city Bristol he's coming up with some innovative solutions.
Great news! I've always wanted to be able to mutter into my pint about 'da bums down City Hall'.
Sounds like the Spinmeister's usual MO.
Some of us get upset about the inhabitant of the Counts Louse disingenuously and duplicitously calling us residents of Bristol 'customers'. Will Mayor George tackle that abuse of the English language too?
Why not County Hall?
We’ll be there next Wednesday with lots of eggs and rotten tomatoes George