News / Politics
Mayoral candidates pledge to support region’s voluntary sector
A panoramic view of Bristol can be enjoyed from the seventh floor of the new EQ office building on Victoria Street, with the vista stretching from the painted houses of Totterdown to as far as the rolling fields of Ashton Court.
It was the venue for the latest hustings ahead of the election on May 1 for the new mayor of the West of England, with the observant among you of course knowing that Ashton Court is in North Somerset which is not among the three councils that make up WECA.
Four out of the six candidates for mayor took part in these hustings hosted by engineering firm Arup, mostly exchanging pleasantries about the importance of the voluntary sector without being able to give any firm commitments due to the combined authority’s budget not yet being confirmed.
is needed now More than ever
More than 80 representatives from the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector attended the hustings on Wednesday morning at the event put together by organisations including BCfm, Black South West Network and Voscur.
Voscur CEO Rebecca Mear chaired the hustings featuring candidates Helen Godwin (Labour), Oli Henman (Lib Dem), Steve Smith (Conservatives) and Mary Page (Greens).
Reform’s Arron Banks was invited to attend but an invitation was not extended to independent candidate Ian Scott, with organisers only inviting representatives of parties with sitting MPs.
The hustings was organised by BCFM, WECIL, Black South West Network, CVS South Gloucestershire, 3SG, Voscur, ACH and WERN – photo: Marcus Smith
Mear said: “All four candidates gave great insight into their understanding of charities, community groups and social enterprises, as well as the role these organisations play in building a better region for us all.
“Most importantly, we delved into the detail of the how – how will a new mayor achieve increased partnership working with the VCSE sector – and heard from the candidates on the specific levers they will pull to do that.
“Overall, it was a fantastic event showcasing the unified voice of the community sector, and we look forward to working with a new mayor once elected.”
A recording of the hustings will be broadcast on BCfm on Thursday at 11pm and on Friday at midday, as well as being available to listen to now as a podcast
Main photo: Ellie Hastie
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