Marvin Rees is the current mayor of Bristol after being elected in 2016. On that day Bristol became the first major European city to have elected a mayor of black African heritage.
He was born and brought up in Bristol by his mother, moving between St Pauls, Lawrence Weston and Easton. He still lives in Bristol with his wife and three children.
In his own words this is why he says he should be elected again as Bristol's mayor
In the last four years, our Labour administration has delivered so much for Bristol.
From some 8,000 new homes in the city, including council and affordable homes; to keeping older adults independently living in their own homes, to a clean streets campaign that is picking up as many awards and prizes as it is litter and the many achievements in between, we are proud of our record of getting stuff done.
You only have to see the cranes in the city sky to recognise real change is happening and we are about to announce our 15 year plan for transport, to transform the way we move around the city and reverse decades of no investment and no ideas.
We have brought our values to the council and a real aspiration for the city, with pride in Bristol but with a vivid awareness – borne from our experiences growing up here – of how many people don’t benefit from the wealth in the city. Lots of people do not succeed in the city no matter how hard they try. Their situation is made worse, not better, but those who deal only with single issues or who prefer the status quo to progressive change.
We can and should embrace all the positives about our city. But we have to acknowledge that Bristol must change.
Bristol is a tale of two cities, emphasised by the 30,000 Bristolians working for less than the real Living Wage, nearly 30 per cent of children living in poverty, and 600 families living in emergency accommodation. We need to close those equality gaps.
In that spirit, my pledges will continue to change the city to a better and fairer Bristol, not turn back the clock to a city where nothing gets done. Instead, we must keep working together to build a City of Hope.
The next four years is a real opportunity to keep making the change Bristol needs on 7 May.
We also asked each candidate what they would do to address five key issues in Bristol - housing, transport, inequality across the city, climate change and Education/SEND funding.
Housing
In the last four years, we have gotten Bristol building some 8,000 new homes. Cranes are in the sky building many more, including new council and affordable homes.
Transport
In the last four years, we have gotten Bristol moving. The UK’s largest biogas bus order has arrived, with 77 new biogas buses now cutting congestion and air pollution in Bristol. We are opening new train stations, and are investing in miles more cycling and walking infrastructure.
Inequality across the city
In the last four years, we having been bridging the tale of two Bristols. We are working together with employers and unions to double the number of Bristol businesses paying the real Living Wage. City Hall has led from the front, freezing top pay and cutting £1m from senior management while maintaining our council tax reduction scheme and paying a real Living Wage.
Climate Change
In the last four years, we have been first to declare a climate emergency and an ecological emergency, and have led 400+ councils in telling the truth on the environment. We have also taken action to invest to tackle the crises facing our city and planet.
We are investing some £1 billion in clean energy, doubling Bristol’s tree canopy, and working to grow sustainable food in every ward. With partners across the city, we have pulled together a comprehensive action plan to tackle the climate emergency.
Education/SEND funding
There is a national crisis in special educational needs funding, after a decade of government underfunding. While the national picture has not changed, we take responsibility for what has happened in Bristol and have unreservedly apologised. Families and carers of children and young people with SEND feel badly let down – and we will not rest until the service has been turned around.
After an inspection which showed some green shoots in recent years, we will continue working with parents to rebuild trust and co-design the service going forward. We will deliver rapid progress, bolstered by recent additional recruitment, and will ensure long-term change through a £40m+ investment programme.
