Marvin Rees: ‘Bristol failing in devolution’

As Labour groups around Bristol prepare a joint motion opposing a ‘metro mayor’ for the city region, one of their mayoral hopefuls for Bristol, Marvin Rees, shares his thoughts on devolution.

My first priority as the mayor of Bristol will be to get the best deal for our city. If that means giving up existing or sharing new powers in order to make progress on transport or housing then I’d be prepared to do that.

But the greater Bristol region can’t have a model of local government forced upon it. It has to work for Bristol and the surrounding areas. The test of that will be one based on whether it works for our city and its people, not on whether it suits local politicians. That includes ensuring the balance of powers is right both for Bristol and for the surrounding council authorities. 

Other city regions in the UK have spent years preparing credible bids for devolved power and money. In the Budget this week their hard work paid off. Here in Bristol, we have failed local people by not making sufficient progress in finding a model of local government that works. We have failed to be in a position to put a credible bid to Government which shows that we are ready and able to lead for ourselves.

Having a “metro mayor” would be one model but there are others – such as integrating and combining powers across council areas on certain policy areas such as transport. We have to explore all the options and make a decision together. If we fail to do so, we will miss out on new powers and money. If we fail to do so because of political infighting we will have failed as politicians to put the interests of our constituents first. But not only will we have failed the West of England, we will have failed to make our contribution to the rebalancing of the national economy the country so desperately needs.

That’s why I would support the initiative of council Leaders in the South West in coming together to find a model that works to create a true Western Powerhouse that means better job opportunities, more and better housing, better transport and improved living conditions. And it’s why I support the call of UWE Vice Chancellor Steve West to ensure that we make progress on a package of devolution that means that our businesses and workers and educators can come together to take local decisions that work for Greater Bristol and increase opportunity across the region. 

But I want to be clear. We will not be on the end of a Tory strategy to shift blame for the worst excesses of its cuts onto local government. We want to take  responsibility but we want the full range of powers and resources we will need to successfully deliver for people. Emma Reynolds MP pointed out that local authorities have already seen the biggest cuts to any part of the public sector – a huge reduction of 40 per cent over the last five years. The Local Government Association predicts a funding gap of £9.5 billion by the end of the decade. Bristol’s leaders must collectively build a case in the face of austerity to keep more of the wealth we generate and secure the resources and power we need. And government must listen.

Cities are seen as the drivers of growth and opportunity all over the world. So much economic activity will be driven by city regions in the future with national governments becoming less important. By definition, there will need to be a critical mass to make economic units viable which for Bristol is most likely to be the greater Bristol region. A Mayor who fails to take this opportunity and make it work for people in Bristol is a mayor who has failed. I will not be that mayor.

Photograph by Zac Crawley at Candour Creative