Everything you need to know about Bristol’s mayoral referendum

In the run-up to the mayoral referendum on May 5, here is everything you need to know in order to cast your vote on retaining the mayoral model or moving to a committee system.

Listen back to Bristol24/7’s Twitter Space which discussed the issues around the referendum and heard from people on both sides of the debate:

Listen again to Bristol24/7’s mayoral referendum debate https://t.co/khLjZbygki

— Bristol24/7 (@bristol247) May 4, 2022

News stories

News / mayoral referendum

What a committee system might mean for Bristol

Insight from other cities that are governed by or switching to a committee model

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News / Bristol Civic Leadership Project

Mayor or committee: what’s the referendum about?

Bristol Civic Leadership Project have made three explainer videos

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News / bristol city council

Rees’ reaction to mayoral referendum

He said the quality of debate leading up to the vote ‘reached a new low’

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News / Mary Page

‘Bristol is ours, it’s not for a mayor to do whatever they want’

Mary Page is leading a campaign to scrap the role of mayor

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News / bristol city council

Referendum to decide whether to replace elected mayor with committee system

The referendum will take place in 2022

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News / Behind the Headlines podcast

Bristol’s mayoral model debate: The battle for and against

Bristol24/7 hosts a special podcast ahead of May’s referendum

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News / Marvin Rees

Rees: ‘Our focus is not sitting around a campfire singing Kumbaya’

The Labour mayor says the mayoral system has been "phenomenal" for Bristol

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Vox pops

News / Broadwalk Shopping Centre

Mayoral referendum: what do people in Knowle think?

We visited Knowle to find out people's thoughts ahead of the vote on May 5

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Features / Hillfields

Mayoral referendum: what do people in Hillfields think?

We visited Hillfields to find out their thoughts ahead of the vote on May 5

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News / easton

Mayoral referendum: What do people in Easton think?

We visited Easton to find out people's thoughts on the vote on May 5

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News / avonmouth

Mayoral referendum: what do people in Avonmouth think?

We visited Avonmouth to find out people's thoughts ahead of the vote on May 5

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Features / bristol city council

Mayor vs committee: What do Bristolians think?

Bristol talks visibility, democracy and stability ahead of the referendum in two weeks

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Opinion pieces

Your say / mayoral referendum

‘Truly representative ‘people power’ under a committee system is a myth’

Sandra Meadows MBE argues to retain the mayoral system on Thursday May 5th

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Your say / Brislington

‘I feel I have managed to make a difference in many ways’

Brislington East councillor Tim Rippington argues for the mayoral system

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Your say / mayoral referendum

‘Bristol’s councillors are trying to pilfer your power by getting rid of a mayor’

Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston writes about the benefits of a mayoral system

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Your say / mayoral referendum

‘The ‘strong’ mayoral system has resulted in dangerously weak, politically driven, decision making’

Former mayor, George Ferguson, argues against the mayoral system

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Your say / mayoral referendum

‘The mayoral system gives Bristol a voice on a world stage’

Sandy Hore-Ruthven argues to keep the mayoral system in place

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Your say / mayoral referendum

‘We need scrutiny, we need accountability and we need transparency’

Rob Bryher argues for the committee system

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Your say / mayoral referendum

‘A committee system in Bristol risks a return to delay, stagnation and insecurity’

Simon Peacock of JLL argues the mayoral model is better for Bristol

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Your say / mayoral referendum

‘Bristol needs a commitment to collaboration’

Ben Lowndes says positive public discussion is necessary to give our leaders every chance of success

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Your say / bristol city council

‘We should grasp the opportunity for a city-wide debate to revitalise local democracy’

Suzanne Audrey argues for a committee system in the upcoming referendum

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Your say / mayoral referendum

‘The mayoral system is only a defence against the past behaviour of Labour in Bristol’

Mark Wright explores the alleged "instability" Bristol suffered before the mayoral system

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Your say / Bristol Labour

‘The mayoral model creates a politics where sycophancy is rewarded and challenge is suppressed’

Nicola Bowden-Jones argues against keeping the mayoral system in Bristol

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Your say / mayoral referendum

‘Bristol’s mayoral system has fallen victim to the bloody-mindedness of Bristolians’

Mike Norton explains how we got into this situation

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Your say / Alex Hartley

‘Bristol’s mayoral model has failed to deliver on its promises’

Alex Hartley is calling for a referendum on the city's mayoral model

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Your say / bristol city council

‘It is clear that Bristol’s profile is not dependent on its electoral system’

Suzanne Audrey considers benefits of an elected mayor vs committee system

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Your say / Bristol mayor

‘The mayoral system puts too much power in one set of hands’

Cllr Gary Hopkins on how the current system is failing Bristol

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Your say / Bristol Lib Dems

‘Why I want to scrap mayoral model and bring back democracy’

Caroline Gooch is the Lib Dem Bristol mayoral candidate

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Your say / Ellie King

‘Getting rid of the mayor would relegate Bristol to the status of a parish council’

Cabinet member Ellie King says that councillors still have a crucial role

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Everything you need to know about Bristol’s mayoral referendum

News stories

Vox pops

Opinion pieces

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