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Bristol's Marvin Rees: 'local government is where it’s at right now' Bristol's Marvin Rees: 'Local government is where it’s at right now'
(about 2 hours later)
“Our case on diversity doesn’t start with the idea that it’s a nice thing to have for fluffy liberals. This is an essential part of getting a competent leadership that understands its city and can design services right first time.”“Our case on diversity doesn’t start with the idea that it’s a nice thing to have for fluffy liberals. This is an essential part of getting a competent leadership that understands its city and can design services right first time.”
That’s the view of Labour’s Marvin Rees, five months after becoming mayor of Bristol in May.That’s the view of Labour’s Marvin Rees, five months after becoming mayor of Bristol in May.
Rees stood in 2012, but was beaten by George Ferguson. Many in Bristol complained that, like Boris Johnson, Ferguson appeared not to take the mayoralty entirely seriously, and Rees beat him into second place this year.Rees stood in 2012, but was beaten by George Ferguson. Many in Bristol complained that, like Boris Johnson, Ferguson appeared not to take the mayoralty entirely seriously, and Rees beat him into second place this year.
Rees says he’s working on turning around the perception of the office. “I’m bringing in more transparency,” he says. “We had a ridiculous situation where the whole structure of a public cabinet meeting was completely impenetrable to the public.” Political literacy, voter registration measures and maximising participation are on his radar, as is looking at whether Bristol can be used as a pilot for e-voting.Rees says he’s working on turning around the perception of the office. “I’m bringing in more transparency,” he says. “We had a ridiculous situation where the whole structure of a public cabinet meeting was completely impenetrable to the public.” Political literacy, voter registration measures and maximising participation are on his radar, as is looking at whether Bristol can be used as a pilot for e-voting.
There has been much complaint about the lack of diversity among mayoral candidates, particularly for the metro mayor elections next year. Rees is an exception, but notes that there is a stark lack of women being selected. He’s committed to making Bristol politics more representative; “there’s evidence everywhere that if you have diversity of thought you have a better performing organisation,” he says.There has been much complaint about the lack of diversity among mayoral candidates, particularly for the metro mayor elections next year. Rees is an exception, but notes that there is a stark lack of women being selected. He’s committed to making Bristol politics more representative; “there’s evidence everywhere that if you have diversity of thought you have a better performing organisation,” he says.
He says diversity comes from within the council too, by promoting staff into senior positions instead of recruiting only from outside. “We are creating opportunities for council staff to apply to be seconded to be cabinet leads so they get those direct opportunities to act up in their organisation, and get the experience to go for higher-up jobs,” he says. The council is also working with partners in health, police and business organisations, with the aim of spotting talent and creating secondment opportunities. “So actually we’re developing a talent pool across Bristol.”He says diversity comes from within the council too, by promoting staff into senior positions instead of recruiting only from outside. “We are creating opportunities for council staff to apply to be seconded to be cabinet leads so they get those direct opportunities to act up in their organisation, and get the experience to go for higher-up jobs,” he says. The council is also working with partners in health, police and business organisations, with the aim of spotting talent and creating secondment opportunities. “So actually we’re developing a talent pool across Bristol.”
The UK mayoral system is under scrutiny at present over diversity but, as Rees says, “politics gets the sharp end of the stick but it’s not just politics. Alan Milburn’s report on elitist Britain points at the judiciary, criminal justice system, journalism. When I was at the BBC it was not a bastion of diversity at senior levels in the organisation.”The UK mayoral system is under scrutiny at present over diversity but, as Rees says, “politics gets the sharp end of the stick but it’s not just politics. Alan Milburn’s report on elitist Britain points at the judiciary, criminal justice system, journalism. When I was at the BBC it was not a bastion of diversity at senior levels in the organisation.”
Rees has a number of priorities to fight inequality in Bristol, a city, like many others, with pockets of wealth and extreme deprivation.“Clearly, it’s house building,” he says. “We know what we need do to help fight health inequalities is to get a child off to the best possible start in life. There are lots of things that go into that. But having a stable home in a community is critical. So my first political appointment in my cabinet was homes and communities. We’re serious about this. We have a committee. We didn’t have that before.”Rees has a number of priorities to fight inequality in Bristol, a city, like many others, with pockets of wealth and extreme deprivation.“Clearly, it’s house building,” he says. “We know what we need do to help fight health inequalities is to get a child off to the best possible start in life. There are lots of things that go into that. But having a stable home in a community is critical. So my first political appointment in my cabinet was homes and communities. We’re serious about this. We have a committee. We didn’t have that before.”
Rees believes strongly in early intervention. “Local government is the place where we can really facilitate early intervention,” he says, adding that the close proximity of local government decision-making to local people is a good thing and he wants to make politics “both visible and accessible”.Rees believes strongly in early intervention. “Local government is the place where we can really facilitate early intervention,” he says, adding that the close proximity of local government decision-making to local people is a good thing and he wants to make politics “both visible and accessible”.
“If everyone who says politics is not for them doesn’t run it becomes stagnant, and more people become alienated. We need people who say it’s not for them to get elected; that makes politics dynamic and diverse.”“If everyone who says politics is not for them doesn’t run it becomes stagnant, and more people become alienated. We need people who say it’s not for them to get elected; that makes politics dynamic and diverse.”
But Bristol is in a worrying financial position and, like many other metropolitan Labour areas, faces brutal cuts. “We face a real challenge,” acknowledges Rees. The council is making cuts of 29%-30% in 2016/17. “That’s something that we inherited. It should have been sorted out before the financial year started but since we’ve come in, we’ve been pointing out that things weren’t set up as they should have been. So we have to take action to deliver on that.”But Bristol is in a worrying financial position and, like many other metropolitan Labour areas, faces brutal cuts. “We face a real challenge,” acknowledges Rees. The council is making cuts of 29%-30% in 2016/17. “That’s something that we inherited. It should have been sorted out before the financial year started but since we’ve come in, we’ve been pointing out that things weren’t set up as they should have been. So we have to take action to deliver on that.”
The financial estimates are that Bristol will have to cut £60m in the next three years. “This is where we need national government, and certainly the national Labour party and our local institutions, to understand the role of local government,” he says. “In so many ways, local government is a critical source of early intervention that actually has the potential to save so much money downstream. We are now the custodians of public health, for example. If we don’t spend money on that, then public mental health drastically worsens.”The financial estimates are that Bristol will have to cut £60m in the next three years. “This is where we need national government, and certainly the national Labour party and our local institutions, to understand the role of local government,” he says. “In so many ways, local government is a critical source of early intervention that actually has the potential to save so much money downstream. We are now the custodians of public health, for example. If we don’t spend money on that, then public mental health drastically worsens.”
There’s a lot on his agenda, and Rees seems ambitious. But he brushes aside the suggestion that he may have his sights set on Westminster. “I don’t get this thing of hierarchy. We’re making the case here. Local government is where it’s at right now. The exciting things are happening in cities. Cities are real.”There’s a lot on his agenda, and Rees seems ambitious. But he brushes aside the suggestion that he may have his sights set on Westminster. “I don’t get this thing of hierarchy. We’re making the case here. Local government is where it’s at right now. The exciting things are happening in cities. Cities are real.”
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