£150K needed for Bristol to host Global Parliament of Mayors

Bristol is set to host the Global Parliament of Mayors next year, an event expected to bring the city to the forefront of international discussions.

But it comes with a hefty £150,000 price tag that Marvin Rees will ask the council to underwrite, at a time when funding for public services are being slashed to the bone.

Announcing the news during his annual State of the City Speech last month, Rees called it “a huge opportunity” for Bristol’s global profile and a chance to showcase all the city has to offer, in terms of investability, tourism and trade match-ups.

The mayor is planning to underwrite the cost of hosting the event, that will see up to 100 city leaders, plus support staff, from across the globe convene in Bristol in November 2018, from his 2018/19 budget. It is hoped external sponsorship money can then be secured.

“This is an important global event which puts Bristol at the centre of an international discussion on the role of cities and how we can address our shared problems around the world,” said Rees.

“This event shows Bristol to be a progressive and forward thinking city that is taking steps to find solutions for itself and improve the lives and aspirations of its residents.

“In a time where the country is preparing to leave the EU, it is crucial that we are taking steps to ensure we still have a presence on the world stage.  I look forward to welcoming our visitors from around the world next year and look forward to being able to push the Bristol profile out on to the world stage.”

‘The event is an opportunity to showcase all that Bristol has to offer’

Cabinet papers state that while the council may have legal power to use public funds in hosting the event, members must “consider our duty of best value”.

The document also acknowledges that there is a “high risk” of not securing all of the sponsorship for an event as the council has no experience of getting funds from central Government or the corporate sector for such a venture.

In a statement, the council told Bristol24/7 it expects to fully fund the event from external support, adding that this is an event that will help to grow Bristol’s economy, particularly in investment, tourism and trade which, in turn, will deliver jobs for local people.

City mayors and delegates will cover their own travel and hotel costs while in Bristol so the £150,000 will fund logistics and event management.

The council added that the scale of the conference, with around 200 delegates expected in total, will benefit tourism and hospitality businesses across the city.

James Durie is supportive of the event

The mayor has secured the backing of several business leaders in the city, including James Durie, director of Bristol Chamber of Commerce, John Hirst, chief executive for Destination Bristol and Steven West, chair of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.

In a joint statement, they said: “The Global Parliament of Mayors brings together international city leaders to share knowledge and experience on how cities can tackle critical global issues that affect us all.

“We fully support the event’s arrival in Bristol and are already working with city partners on preparations for the event.  We encourage others to also offer their own expertise for this event which is providing a massive boost to Bristol’s existing international profile.”

West added: “This is hugely important as we prepare for a very different future as we leave the EU.”

Rees has won over Bristol’s movers and shakers; now he has one year to put his money where his mouth is and secure the necessary sponsorship so as to not have to dip into public funds.

The matter will be discussed at Bristol City Council’s cabinet meeting on Tuesday, November 7.

That meeting will come less than a week after seven mayors from cities and regions across the UK met at an inaugural summit in London.

But Rees was not invited as he is not a metro mayor, with Bristol’s interests instead being represented by Tory West of England mayor Tim Bowles.

The mayors jointly argued that the UK remains one of the most centralised states in the western world and that devolution is the key to unlocking future growth and improving productivity.

Around the table were London mayor Sadiq Khan, Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester), Tim Bowles (West of England), Ben Houchen (Tees Valley), James Palmer (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough), Steve Rotheram (Liverpool City Region) and Andy Street (West Midlands).

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