Re-elected Labour Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees has spoken of his ambitions for the city, including decarbonising its economy and attracting investment, as he prepares for another three years in the job.
But Mayor Rees, pictured, who was elected on the second round of the election, beating Green candidate Sandy Hore-Ruthven 59,276 votes to 45,663, faces the challenge of leading a city council without a Labour majority. Following gains by the Green Party, it and Labour both now have 24 councillors. 
Mr Rees said: “I’m humbled to be brought back in for a second term. It’s now straight back to work – continuing to build houses, progressing our mass transit plans, working with the Core Cities and partners to decarbonise our economy and activities, attracting the investment the city needs, particularly in jobs, and help many people recover from the inequalities Covid-19 is leaving in its wake.”
He said he would make no apology about wanting to protect the ambition of Bristol.
“We want cranes on the horizon in the city because that shows we are building and people are confident to come and invest here,” he said.
He also said there were some “huge challenges” to overcome, but added that it was Bristol’s diversity of thought that would help meet them.
“The One City partnership is all about bringing together people from all backgrounds, beliefs and political persuasions,” he said.
“We can help Bristol grow in the right way, sustainably and fairly, by working together with organisations that shape lives – such as our hospitals, universities, businesses, voluntary sector and trade unions.
“I pledge to continue to be a leader that’s accountable to the city and working to broaden and innovate our city leadership to get things done. We must work together to make life better for everyone in Bristol, creating a city of hope where we all can thrive.”
Meanwhile, the newly elected Labour West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris has vowed to raise the profile of the region on the national and global stage while delivering a green recovery from the impact of the pandemic. 
Mr Norris, pictured, was elected on the second round of the election, beating Conservative candidate Samuel Williams by 125,482 to 85,389.
The former MP for Wansdyke (now North East Somerset) from 1997 to 2010 and an environment minister under Gordon Brown, Mr Norris has also pledged to put jobs first, saying he will hold a summit on skills and jobs within 100 days of taking office. He has pledged to create 23,000 green jobs for the region.
Other priorities over his four-year term include launching a new public transport system, housing and the environment, he said.
However, his opposition to the expansion of Bristol Airport could put him on a collision path with the region’s business leaders, who have backed the airport’s growth, as well as with the Mayor Rees of Bristol.
The Metro Mayor leads the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), which includes the local authority areas of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset.
The role includes leading the development of regional business, skills, housing and transport as well as delivering a post-pandemic recovery plan.
Mr Norris succeeds Conservative Tim Bowles, who did not stand for re-election. Mr Bowles became the first West of England mayor four years ago but was criticised by political opponents for his low profile compared to other regional leaders and what they saw as his failure to secure the funding for the region it warrants from Whitehall.
Mr Norris said: “I’m honoured to be elected as Metro Mayor for the West of England, an area I am very proud to call home.
“I will be a more visible Metro Mayor who gets things done and raises the profile of the region on the national and global stage, making sure we get the recognition we need and deserve.
“I will hit the ground running with a jobs and skills summit in my first 100 days and my Green Recovery Plan.
“Over the coming weeks I will be out and about across the region, meeting people and listening carefully to their views.”
