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

Bristol is my adopted home and having lived in the city for the past 33 years, I’ve worked closely with Bristol city council directors, officers, councillors and various political administrations since 1995.

Through my various roles in the voluntary,  community and social enterprise sector I have experienced both the committee structure and the systems created under both elected mayors.

I am incredibly proud of Bristol, particularly how we’ve come together as ‘One City’ to tackle difficult issues that too often disproportionately impact the lives of individuals and whole communities.

I’m also honoured to speak as someone who has spent nearly three decades working for the voluntary sector and the City. I do not claim to be an expert on city governance so I am not going to add my voice to the various political and academic opinions on which system is best.

Rather, I’m going to speak from first hand experience of both systems and state, clearly, that my interest lies in a system that enables real and tangible change at a community and grass-roots level, at a level that directly and positively affects the lives of individuals and families, particularly those who have been furthest away from ‘decision making tables’ and rarely engaged in local politics.

Projects such as Lawrence Hill community farm are able to receive funding and gain recognition under the current system argues Sandra Meadows – photo: Lawrence Hill Community Farm

I admit to being annoyed and disappointed at the move made by councillors in December 2021. The rationale and the lack of real engagement with voters in the lead up to the motion forces me into a cynical corner.

How did we arrive at the two options proposed? Is this all about power and control – again? Are we happy for our money to be spent on this ‘campaign’? Has there been a review of what has and hasn’t worked? Where is the opportunity for reform and improvement?

Whether or not you support our current mayor, Marvin Rees, I have been impressed by his work and determination to raise our ambitions, increase investment in communities and the city and his ability to provide opportunities to people who previously had zero chance of being heard.

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Read more: Mayor or committee: What’s the referendum about?

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It’s important to remember that this Thursday’s vote won’t affect Mayor Rees – but it will affect all of us!

At a time when we are in the process of recovering from Covid-19, with inflation expected to rise three times the target rate and too many households literally forced to decide whether to ‘eat or heat’, the tabling of a motion forcing a referendum this May is staggering in its insensitivity and makes the instigators seem tone deaf. Not one person I’ve spoken with, across this city’s  many different communities, saw this issue as a priority for them or their families.

Bristol’s Covid-19 response is a great example of how the city can come together under a single ‘One-City’ framework to protect and safeguard citizens, whilst enabling outstanding community action. Frankly, I dread to think how we would have fared during the pandemic if decisions were made by a committee.

Being able to put the ambitions, issues, and concerns of communities in front of the mayor has been a game-changer. Since 2012 and more especially since 2016, we have been able to advocate directly for continued investment in much needed charities and grass-roots community groups.

I have witnessed outstanding collaboration across all sectors, including during Covid-19, to take action on food insufficiency and in-work poverty, to assist refugees and asylum seekers and to push forward ideas that build wealth in communities like Lawrence Weston, St. Paul’s and South Bristol.

Sandra Meadows argues that the current system allows her to retain her role as a voluntary trustee for local organisations such as St Paul’s Carnival – photo: St Paul’s Carnival

This creates a system that is open, agile, proactive and able to respond in an inclusive and representative way. This, I believe, is what we have currently.

Despite what others have said (and I respect their opinions) this is not my experience with the committee system. Prior to 2012, for people like me, the door was very definitely closed. That is unless I gave up my career and fought to be heard by becoming a local councillor.

My view is that truly representative ‘people power’ under a committee system is a myth. A committee system requires decisions based on negotiations and compromises between Bristol’s political parties and those that take place behind closed doors.

Add in the lack of a shared vision and competing political ideologies and there is a real risk that the required level of compromise would result in solutions that satisfy no one except those who push them through: watered down, ineffective and slow to implement.

Indeed, a failure to reach a majority consensus at committee-level could even mean decisions don’t happen at all in areas where there is disagreement.

‘Prior to 2012, for people like me, the door was very definitely closed’ – photo: Betty Woolerton

The current system gives us the power to elect both ward councillors and a city mayor. But it seems we’re being asked to give up some of that power and hand it back to a group of individuals who are, on the whole, well-intentioned and committed to public service but also seemingly out of touch with our reality.

On Thursday May 5th, the choice is binary. Either we vote to continue electing our city leader or we leave it to councillors  who, to my mind, have a long way to go before they truly represent the population of Bristol in terms of background,  (dis)ability, gender, ethnicity etc. For example, only 8 of the 70 elected councillors are from a minority ethnic background.

We’ve been here before and we were decisive in 2012. If we want to keep the power to elect our mayor, we have to get out and vote! If we don’t we might inadvertently hand a default victory to those whose interests are best served by a committee system.

So, if you want your voice heard with real access to decision making, vote to retain an elected mayor this Thursday 5th.

From there we can review, reform and improve the current system as necessary rather than waste the investment we, as citizens, have made since 2012.

Sandra Meadows was listed as one of the most influential women in Bristol in 2022, a former CEO of two Bristol charities and is a voluntary trustee for local organisations Bristol Beacon, St. Paul’s Carnival and the Bristol Association for Neighbourhood Daycare.

Sandra Meadows – artwork: Anna Higgie

Main photo: Bristol City Council

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

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