Bristol City Council | |
---|---|
Type | |
Type | |
Leadership | |
Structure | |
Seats | 70 councillors [4] |
Political groups |
|
Joint committees | West of England Combined Authority |
Length of term | 4 years [5] |
Elections | |
Plurality-at-large | |
Last election | 2 May 2024 |
Next election | 4 May 2028 |
Motto | |
Virtute et Industria (By Virtue and Industry) | |
Meeting place | |
City Hall, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5TR | |
Website | |
www |
Bristol City Council is the local authority for the city of Bristol, in South West England. Bristol has had a council from medieval times, which has been reformed on numerous occasions. Since 1996 the council has been a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. Bristol has also formed its own ceremonial county since 1996. Since 2017 the council has been a member of the West of England Combined Authority.
The council has been under no overall control since 2021. Following the 2024 election the Green Party was the largest party. Green councillor Tony Dyer was appointed leader of the council, and committee chair positions were shared amongst the Greens and Liberal Democrats. The council is based at City Hall on College Green.
Bristol was an ancient borough. Its date of becoming a borough is not known; its earliest known charter was issued by Henry II around 1164. [6] The borough had a mayor from at least 1216. [7]
The early borough was entirely in Gloucestershire, being on the north side of the original course of the River Avon, which formed the county boundary with Somerset. From the 13th century the borough boundaries were extended to include the Redcliffe area on the south side of river. In recognition of the town's growing importance, and also to avoid the administrative problems caused by the borough straddling two counties, in 1373 the borough was made a county corporate with its own sheriff. [8] [6] Bristol became a city on the creation of the Diocese of Bristol in 1542. [9]
Bristol was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country. [10] It was then governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the city of Bristol", [11] which was generally known as the corporation or city council. [12] [13] The city boundaries were enlarged on numerous occasions. [14] [15]
When elected county councils were established in 1889, Bristol became a county borough, with the council taking responsibility for county-level functions that would otherwise have fallen to a county council to provide. [16] In 1899 the city's mayor was raised to the status of a lord mayor. [7]
Local government was reformed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. Bristol kept the same boundaries (which had last been expanded in 1966) but was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan district and placed in the new county of Avon, with county-level functions passing to the Avon County Council. [17] Bristol's borough and city statuses and its lord mayoralty were all transferred to the new district and its council, which took the name Bristol City Council. [18] [19]
In 1996 the county of Avon and its council were abolished, and Bristol City Council gained responsibility for county-level services. The way this change was legally implemented was to create a new non-metropolitan county of Bristol covering the same area as the existing district, but with no separate county council; instead the existing city council took on county functions, making it a unitary authority. This therefore had the effect of restoring the city council to the powers it had held when Bristol was a county borough prior to 1974. As a consequence of being made a non-metropolitan county, the ceremonial position of Lord Lieutenant of Bristol was also created in 1996. [20]
Following a referendum in 2012, the council was led by a directly elected mayor. [21] The position was known as the Mayor of Bristol; it was distinct from the more ceremonial position of Lord Mayor. The mayor exercised executive powers and chose councillors to sit in a cabinet. It was decided via another referendum in 2022 to abolish the directly elected mayor's position, which took effect following the 2024 election. Since then, the council has been run by a committee system, with a leader of the council as its political leader instead. [22] [23]
A combined authority was established in 2017 covering Bristol and the neighbouring Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire areas, called the West of England Combined Authority. It is chaired by the directly elected Mayor of the West of England. [24] [25]
Bristol City Council provides both district-level and county-level functions. There are no civil parishes in the city, [26] but the city council runs nine area committees to discuss local matters. [27]
The council has been under no overall control since 2021. The Green Party became the largest party following a by-election in February 2023, but until the ending of the mayoral system in May 2024 the council continued to be led by the Labour mayor, Marvin Rees, and the cabinet he chose. [28] Following the 2024 election the Green Party increased their number of seats, but remained two seats short of having an overall majority. Green councillor Tony Dyer was subsequently appointed leader of the council and chair of the co-ordinating Strategy and Resources Policy Committee. Other policy committee chair positions were shared amongst the Greens and Liberal Democrats. [29] [30]
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms took effect has been as follows: [31]
Lower tier non-metropolitan district
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 1974–1983 | |
No overall control | 1983–1986 | |
Labour | 1986–1996 |
Unitary authority
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 1996–2003 | |
No overall control | 2003–2009 | |
Liberal Democrats | 2009–2011 | |
No overall control | 2011–2016 | |
Labour | 2016–2016 | |
No overall control [32] | 2016–2016 | |
Labour | 2016–2021 | |
No overall control | 2021–present |
Prior to 2012, political leadership was provided by the leader of the council. The leaders from 1974 to 2012 were: [33] [34]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Charles Merrett [35] | Labour | 1 Apr 1974 | 1978 | |
Claude Draper | Labour | 1978 | May 1983 | |
Bob Wall [36] | Conservative | May 1983 | May 1984 | |
Graham Robertson [37] | Labour | May 1984 | May 1997 | |
George Micklewright [38] [39] | Labour | May 1997 | May 2002 | |
Diane Bunyan [40] | Labour | May 2002 | May 2003 | |
Barbara Janke [41] | Liberal Democrats | Jun 2003 | Nov 2004 | |
Peter Hammond [42] | Labour | 9 Nov 2004 | May 2005 | |
Barbara Janke | Liberal Democrats | May 2005 | May 2007 | |
Helen Holland | Labour | 22 May 2007 | 24 Feb 2009 | |
Barbara Janke | Liberal Democrats | 24 Feb 2009 | 15 May 2012 | |
Simon Cook | Liberal Democrats | 15 May 2012 | 18 Nov 2012 |
Between 2012 and 2024 the council had directly-elected mayors. The mayors were:
Mayor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
George Ferguson | Independent | 19 Nov 2012 | 8 May 2016 | |
Marvin Rees | Labour | 9 May 2016 | 5 May 2024 |
In 2024 the position of directly elected mayor was abolished and the post of leader of the council re-established. The leaders since 2024 have been:
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tony Dyer [43] | Green | 21 May 2024 |
Following the 2024 election and a subsequent disqualification, the composition of the council was: [44] [45]
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Green | 34 | |
Labour | 20 | |
Liberal Democrats | 8 | |
Conservative | 7 | |
Vacant | 1 | |
Total | 70 |
A by-election may be called for the vacant seat. Otherwise, the next election is due in May 2028.
Since the last boundary changes in 2016 the council has comprised 70 councillors representing 34 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. [46]
The council meets and has its main offices at City Hall on College Green. The building was purpose-built for the council. Construction began in the 1930s but was paused due to the Second World War. The building was evenutally completed in 1952. [47] It was called the 'Council House' until 2012, when it was renamed 'City Hall'. [48]
Prior to 1952 the council met at the Old Council House on Corn Street, which had been completed in 1827. [49]
The Bristol City Youth Council (BCYC) are an elected group of young people aged 11 to 18. Members are voted for in the Bristol Big Youth Vote, which takes place in schools, with students voting. The constituencies for Youth Council are divided into Bristol North, Bristol East Central, and Bristol South, with each area having eight members. This is in addition to several co-optees from special representation groups such as Young Carers, Unity Youth, and the Children in Care Council.
The purpose of the Youth Council is express young people's views on the decisions that are important to them and that their opinions are voiced and heard. They also run internal and external campaigns
The Youth Council also internally elects two members of youth parliament (MYP), and two youth mayors. [50]
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council is the local authority for Dudley metropolitan borough. It is more commonly known as Dudley Council or Dudley MBC.
Leicester City Council is a unitary authority responsible for local government in the city of Leicester, England. It consists of 54 councillors, representing 22 wards in the city, overseen by a directly elected mayor. It is currently controlled by the Labour Party and has been led by mayor Sir Peter Soulsby since 2011. The council also appoints a ceremonial Lord Mayor who chairs council meetings; the directly elected mayor is termed the City Mayor to distinguish the post from the Lord Mayor.
Sheffield City Council is the local authority for the City of Sheffield, a metropolitan borough with city status in South Yorkshire, England. The council consists of 84 councillors, elected to represent 28 wards, each with three councillors. It is currently under no overall control, with Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party each holding chair positions in a proportionate number of committees.
Newcastle City Council is the local authority for Newcastle upon Tyne, a metropolitan borough with city status in the ceremonial county of Tyne and Wear in North East England. The council consists of 78 councillors, three for each of the 26 wards in the city. It has been under Labour majority control since 2011. The council is a constituent member of the North East Mayoral Combined Authority.
Bristol City Council is the local authority for Bristol, a unitary authority and ceremonial county in England. Until 1 April 1996 it was a non-metropolitan district in Avon. Since 2012 it has also had a directly elected mayor.
Local authority areas in England typically have an executive leader and a cabinet selected from the local council, similar to how the national prime minister and cabinet are selected from Parliament. In contrast, residents of some areas, or groups of areas known as combined authorities or combined county authorities, directly elect the executive mayors of their local government.
The city of Bristol, England, is a unitary authority, represented by four MPs representing seats wholly within the city boundaries. The overall trend of both local and national representation became left of centre during the latter 20th century. The city has a tradition of local activism, with environmental issues and sustainable transport being prominent issues in the city.
Sunderland City Council is the local authority of Sunderland, a metropolitan borough with city status in the ceremonial county of Tyne and Wear in North East England. It is one of five such councils in Tyne and Wear and one of 36 in England. It provides the majority of local government services in Sunderland.
City of Doncaster Council is the local authority of the City of Doncaster, a metropolitan borough with city status in South Yorkshire, England. Prior to being awarded city status in 2022 the council was called Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. The council is based at the Civic Office in Waterdale, central Doncaster. It is one of four local authorities in South Yorkshire and provides the majority of local government services in Doncaster. The council is a member of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.
Gloucestershire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Gloucestershire, in England. The council was created in 1889. The council's principal functions are county roads and rights of way, social services, education and libraries, but it also provides many other local government services in the area it covers. The non-metropolitan county is smaller than the ceremonial county, the latter additionally including South Gloucestershire. The council went under no overall control following a change of allegiance in May 2024, having previously been under Conservative majority control. It is based at Shire Hall in Gloucester.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is the local authority of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. As a unitary authority, it has the combined powers of a county council and district council and is administratively separate from the rest of Staffordshire.
Stevenage Borough Council is the local authority for the Stevenage non-metropolitan district of England, the United Kingdom. Stevenage is located in the north-east of Hertfordshire, in the East of England region.
Tower Hamlets London Borough Council, also known as Tower Hamlets Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under the majority control of local party Aspire since 2022. It has been led by a directly elected mayor since 2010. The council is based at Tower Hamlets Town Hall on Whitechapel Road.
Cheshire East Council is the local authority for Cheshire East, a local government district with borough status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The council is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. It has been under no overall control since 2019, being run by a coalition of Labour, local parties and independent councillors, led by Labour councillor Sam Corcoran. The council's main offices are in Sandbach, but there are plans to move them to Crewe.
Bristol City Council, formerly known as The Bristol Corporation, is the local government authority governing the city of Bristol, England. Following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, successive royal charters granted increasing rights of local governance to Bristol. County status was attained in 1373 and city status in the early sixteenth century. Bristol Corporation was established in the nineteenth century and the office of Lord Mayor was created in 1888. Following a brief period as part of the county of Avon in the late twentieth century, Bristol regained its status as a city and county in 1996.
Plymouth City Council is the local authority for Plymouth, a unitary authority with city status in the ceremonial county of Devon, England.
Brighton and Hove City Council is the local authority for Brighton and Hove, a local government district with city status in the ceremonial county of East Sussex, England. The council is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2023. It is based at Hove Town Hall.
The Mayor of Bristol was the political leader of Bristol City Council. The mayor was a directly elected politician who, along with the 70 members of Bristol City Council, was responsible for the strategic government of the city of Bristol, England. The role was created after a local referendum held on 3 May 2012, which followed the passage of the Localism Act 2011. 41,032 voted for an elected mayor and 35,880 voted against, with a turnout of 24%. An election for the new post was held on 15 November 2012.
Wakefield Council, formally the City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council, is the local authority of the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. Wakefield is a metropolitan borough with city status. The council and provides a full range of local government services including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, town planning, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority. Wakefield is divided into 21 wards, electing 63 councillors. A third of the council is elected for three of every four years.
Wirral Council is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. Wirral is a metropolitan borough, one of five in Merseyside, and provides the majority of local government services in Wirral. The council is a constituent member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)