Rees in devolution call as crunch time looms

Bristol mayor Marvin Rees is urging politicians to accept the Government’s “metro mayor” deal to unlock much needed investment in the wake of uncertainty caused by Brexit.

Writing on Bristol24/7 a day before councillors vote on the £1 billion deal, he said: “Now more than ever the region needs to be in charge of its own destiny.”

Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset will decide on Wednesday whether to take up the offer which would see the creation of an umbrella “West of England Mayoral Combined Authority” to manage the new powers and money for transport, housing and skills.

North Somerset Council have already voted against the deal, paving the way for the three remaining authorities to go ahead without them.

Bristol’s debate on Wednesday is likely to be focussed around public consultation, with some councillors calling for a referendum for the people to decide whether they want a metro mayor.

Also writing on Bristol24/7, Lib Dem leader Gary Hopkins called the deal “a mess”. He added: “The public are not allowed to have a meaningful say. Questioning of the ‘expert’ officers doing the negotiations has revealed gaping holes in the deal and what is being signed up to.”

Charlie Bolton, Leader of Bristol’s Green Councillors, said a public consultation should take place before a vote of councillors and not after, as is being planned.

But Rees, who, with his cabinet, holds the final veto on any decision in Bristol, has argued strongly in favour of the deal. He said on Tuesday: “Naturally, many people have been asking me to comment on the national picture in recent days – but my focus has to be Bristol, not Westminster, in the days ahead.

“In fact, the economic and political uncertainty prompted by the referendum result could put other potential funding streams in jeopardy, meaning we should grasp the new money and powers currently offered by this deal without further hesitation. Now more than ever the region needs to be in charge of its own destiny.”

Read his full opinion article here.

Tory leader Mark Weston supports the deal and called on Bristol to ‘bite the bullet’ and accept the proposals earlier this month.

South Gloucestershire Council’s leader Matthew Riddle has also indicated a preference to accept the deal, but Bath and North East Somerset are yet to speak out.

If the proposed deal moves forward, the councils would work together as a group known as the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. 

The next stage will be for local people to make their views known to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government as part of a public consultation during July and August, before the Government takes a final decision in October.

If the deal moves ahead, an election for a West of England mayor would take place in May 2017. Manchester has already negotiated a deal and further packages are expected for Sheffield and Leeds among others.

Read more: ‘This deal is a mess’