Newly-elected mayor George Ferguson will today be sworn in, with representatives of the city’s business community pledging to help him boost Bristol’s image and attract new jobs and investment.
Mr Ferguson, an entrepreneur and architect, is already well known by many businesspeople in the city and during his campaign he said he would work with them to make sure Bristol was seen as open for business while boosting the city’s independent traders.
Tessa Coombes, director of policy at Business West, which runs Bristol Chamber of Commerce, said: “With no party machine behind him, and few friends on the council, George Ferguson takes over the reigns as Mayor for Bristol leading the council and the city.
“His first challenge will be to organise a cabinet, made up of colleagues from different parties. The second will be to decide a budget, with £25m of cuts – not a task any of us would envy him.
“His next task from our point of view will be to address our 11 business challenges to provide certainty and confidence to Bristol’s business community that things will change.
“Business West will be knocking on the mayor’s office door to discuss business issues at the earliest opportunity and to offer our support and help in promoting Bristol as a city to be proud of.”
Chamber of Commerce & Initiative president Michael Bothamley added: “We want Bristol to be successful and a good place in which to live and do business because all Bristolians benefit if that happens.
“Our businesses have consistently told us they want the city to have strong leadership focusing on the issues which really matter – and for long enough to be able to make a difference.
“We worked hard to ensure that Bristol voted to have an elected mayor, because the business community believes Bristol will thrive if it has good unifying leadership and a strong voice with Government. All through the election period we challenged the candidates to say where they stand on the issues that determine our success and sustainable growth for our economy.
“We are very much looking forward to working with George. He shares our vision and passion for Bristol and has put so much in to the city already, through the businesses he has created and his place leadership in our community.”
David Mace, regional senior director of property adviser GVA in Bristol, said Mr Ferguson must put promoting and developing the economic strength of the city at the top of his agenda.
“With the election of Bristol’s first mayor, there’s a huge opportunity to be grasped to put politics to one side and put the Open for Business sign firmly on the city’s gates,” he said.
“Bristol has made great strides from those dark old days when developers and investors were simply shown the door. However there is still more that can be done in promoting the strengths of our city-wide region and our diverse economic base.
“We cannot forget that Bristol has to compete not only in a national but a global market where ‘he who shouts loudest wins’.
“To do this most effectively Mr Ferguson will need to forget about the artificial boundaries of the unitary authorities and be strong in his vision for the city region.
“I would urge Mr Ferguson to listen carefully to what business in Bristol has to say. Improvements in infrastructure, an integrated transport plan, together with a clear vision for growth that includes embracing inward investment should all be seen as priority.”
Mayor Ferguson will be sworn in at the Old Station at Temple Meads at 2pm this afternoon.
