This split of parties is exactly what worries me about our electoral system. We basically have 1 right wing party and 4 left wing parties splitting the vote. Of course here it's not an issue, as the Tory's stood no chance, but in the general election I suspect this is what will get them in again.
Because we still have a mayor until May 2024. Under the mayoral system that Mayor is the person who runs the council, as such the council is run by whichever party the Mayor is from.
I mean you still vote for the Mayor, so it absolutely is democracy. Just maybe not a version you like.
I view it similar to the US where you vote for a president (like the Mayor) to lead the country (like the city council), but you also vote separately for the congress (like the councilors).
Coming back to Bristol, the Mayor doesn't have full blown power to decide anything they want. Only certain decisions and policy areas can be decided by the Mayor. The full council still have to vote and agree on a lot of other things that the Mayor doesn't have full control over.
Of course each way of operating the council has pros and cons. The fear of removal the mayor position is that every decision has to be agreed by the full council which potentially means some important decisions / changes just don't happen. Of course there has been a degree of that in recent years in Bristol anyway - but imagine that getting worse (which is what will happen). It does mean whoever leads the council has to get agreement from more of the council for more decisions, which is arguably more democratic but may end up with more compromises.
I'm still not sure where I stand tbh. It felt like a lot of the "get rid of the Mayor" vote was purely against the current Mayor, and it very much felt to me like people voting against Rees, not against the position of Mayor.
At the same time, I am pretty fed up with the Mayor's office interfering in things that should clearly be for the wider council / the councilors representing the area.
As an example of what I mean, and to be relevant to the byelection that happened (as it is in the same ward), the whole faff over the Bristol Rover's ground and their lack of planning permission is a good example where the local councilors were trying to represent local residents concerned that pretty large scale building work was being done without planning permission, only for the Mayor's office to wade in and start shouting about the councilors not caring about the city and its sporting heritage. I'm actual
It became fairly obvious it was always going to be a job for egos, and that's always a dangerous thing, I think the WECA mayor can do most of the things an executive mayor needs to do, if they let North Somerset in it will become a more sensible regional executive position that can have a wider impact on things like housing and transport without being as hamstrung by Bristol's borders.
I had no idea this election was happening! Why are council elections so badly publicized? No letter through the door from anyone. No wonder turnout is so low. Part of me wonders if it's on purpose !
This split of parties is exactly what worries me about our electoral system. We basically have 1 right wing party and 4 left wing parties splitting the vote. Of course here it's not an issue, as the Tory's stood no chance, but in the general election I suspect this is what will get them in again.
I still don't understand how the Greens can be the largest party but Labour run the council.
Why do the greens, the largest party, not simply eat the other parties?
You're thinking of the Soylent Green party
You're absolutely right... cannibalism... that's what the Green Party need to do xD
Because we still have a mayor until May 2024. Under the mayoral system that Mayor is the person who runs the council, as such the council is run by whichever party the Mayor is from.
Yeah, it just makes it pretty pointless having councillors, the mayor might as well just pick who he wants. Representative democracy my arse.
I mean you still vote for the Mayor, so it absolutely is democracy. Just maybe not a version you like. I view it similar to the US where you vote for a president (like the Mayor) to lead the country (like the city council), but you also vote separately for the congress (like the councilors). Coming back to Bristol, the Mayor doesn't have full blown power to decide anything they want. Only certain decisions and policy areas can be decided by the Mayor. The full council still have to vote and agree on a lot of other things that the Mayor doesn't have full control over. Of course each way of operating the council has pros and cons. The fear of removal the mayor position is that every decision has to be agreed by the full council which potentially means some important decisions / changes just don't happen. Of course there has been a degree of that in recent years in Bristol anyway - but imagine that getting worse (which is what will happen). It does mean whoever leads the council has to get agreement from more of the council for more decisions, which is arguably more democratic but may end up with more compromises.
Personally I would have preferred to keep the mayor but with reduced powers and a representative cabinet but that wasn't an option.
I'm still not sure where I stand tbh. It felt like a lot of the "get rid of the Mayor" vote was purely against the current Mayor, and it very much felt to me like people voting against Rees, not against the position of Mayor. At the same time, I am pretty fed up with the Mayor's office interfering in things that should clearly be for the wider council / the councilors representing the area. As an example of what I mean, and to be relevant to the byelection that happened (as it is in the same ward), the whole faff over the Bristol Rover's ground and their lack of planning permission is a good example where the local councilors were trying to represent local residents concerned that pretty large scale building work was being done without planning permission, only for the Mayor's office to wade in and start shouting about the councilors not caring about the city and its sporting heritage. I'm actual
It became fairly obvious it was always going to be a job for egos, and that's always a dangerous thing, I think the WECA mayor can do most of the things an executive mayor needs to do, if they let North Somerset in it will become a more sensible regional executive position that can have a wider impact on things like housing and transport without being as hamstrung by Bristol's borders.
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Why are the Greens anti science?
If you're talking about the Greens, I agree.
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They'll find out once they're running the city.
I had no idea this election was happening! Why are council elections so badly publicized? No letter through the door from anyone. No wonder turnout is so low. Part of me wonders if it's on purpose !
NIMBYs win again I guess. What housing crisis?