The people of Bristol are set to vote for the city's next elected mayor on May 6, 2021.
Nine candidates have thrown their hat into the ring, including Labour’s Marvin Rees, who is seeking a second term at the helm of Bristol City Council.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service has asked all nine candidates to supply 300 words outlining why they should be the next mayor of Bristol.
Mr Rees, who has been the city’s mayor since 2016, has provided the following pitch to Bristol voters:
It is an honour to serve as Mayor of Bristol, the city I am proud to be from and where I am bringing up my family. Together we have led Bristol in the face of the pandemic, economic downturn, social change and instability, and climate change, with the added uncertainty of Brexit. Many of us have experienced real loss this year, as people have come together like never before to support each other.
Working with partners all over Bristol, we are building a city where nobody is left behind underpinning our ambition with compassion and our commitment to sustainability. We are focused on protecting and creating jobs, and delivering for residents. We are creating jobs by bringing employers like Channel 4 to our city, bringing hundreds of millions of pounds worth of investment into Bristol, and delivering our mass transit system.
Together, against the odds, we are making a difference.
On 6 May, I am proudly standing on our record of delivery - including all our 2016 pledges and more: 9,000 homes built, bio-gas buses operating across the city, a mass transit system being planned for that will transform the way we move around Bristol within a decade, new schools being built, playgrounds, libraries and parks all kept open.
In the next few years, we will:
- Build 2,000 homes a year with 1,000 affordable and council homes.
- Extend our bus deal, bringing more buses on key routes and free travel students and apprentices.
- We will bring jobs and investment to the city and make Bristol a living wage city.
- Deliver on our climate and ecological plans, doubling trees, grow food across the city and invest in clean energy.
- Enable adults in need of care to live in their own homes for as long as possible.
Read about the other candidates in the mayoral election here - and use our search tool to see who is standing in your area for Bristol City Council and other local elections on May 6.
