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| Bristol mayor puts party politics aside in pursuit of city revamp | Bristol mayor puts party politics aside in pursuit of city revamp |
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| Bristol's mayor, George Ferguson, has a hole in his budget as deep as the Avon Gorge but that hasn't stopped him dreaming. The surprise winner of November's mayoral poll has outlined an austerity-defying vision of his city's future including vertical gardens, squares dedicated to organic food and poetry, water taxis and an urban beach. | Bristol's mayor, George Ferguson, has a hole in his budget as deep as the Avon Gorge but that hasn't stopped him dreaming. The surprise winner of November's mayoral poll has outlined an austerity-defying vision of his city's future including vertical gardens, squares dedicated to organic food and poetry, water taxis and an urban beach. |
| Ferguson has to find £35m in cuts and is axing 320 council jobs, closing residential care places for the elderly and outsourcing youth services. But this week he will start work to "out-Copenhagen Copenhagen" when he sits down with two of Europe's leading urbanists – Jan Gehl from Copenhagen and David Mackay from Barcelona – to thrash out ideas to revamp the city. He says he is so confident "the sun always shines" in his west country city that he is about to launch a design competition for a gleaming new 12,000-seat arena wrapped in solar panels. | Ferguson has to find £35m in cuts and is axing 320 council jobs, closing residential care places for the elderly and outsourcing youth services. But this week he will start work to "out-Copenhagen Copenhagen" when he sits down with two of Europe's leading urbanists – Jan Gehl from Copenhagen and David Mackay from Barcelona – to thrash out ideas to revamp the city. He says he is so confident "the sun always shines" in his west country city that he is about to launch a design competition for a gleaming new 12,000-seat arena wrapped in solar panels. |
| It is an approach that has jarred with his political opponents, who have derided his vision as a pie-in-the-sky fantasy at a time when the poorest and most vulnerable face swingeing cuts. But Ferguson is a unique example of a major city leader not bound by party politics, and he believes he can steal a march on other big cities and make Bristol the UK's most attractive destination for business and visitors after London. | It is an approach that has jarred with his political opponents, who have derided his vision as a pie-in-the-sky fantasy at a time when the poorest and most vulnerable face swingeing cuts. But Ferguson is a unique example of a major city leader not bound by party politics, and he believes he can steal a march on other big cities and make Bristol the UK's most attractive destination for business and visitors after London. |
| "This is not about beautifying the city," he told the Guardian. "It is about making it vibrant. None of this is about what the council spends, but is about making partnerships with the private sector. This isn't in conflict at all and in fact it may achieve real returns for the city." | "This is not about beautifying the city," he told the Guardian. "It is about making it vibrant. None of this is about what the council spends, but is about making partnerships with the private sector. This isn't in conflict at all and in fact it may achieve real returns for the city." |
| Research published on Monday by the Centre for Cities reveals that Liverpool, Cardiff, Nottingham, Newcastle and Glasgow have suffered more in the second part of the downturn, in 2009-12, than they did in 2008-09, and rival city leaders engaged in bitter party political battles over cuts are watching Ferguson closely as he attempts to exploit his political freedom. | Research published on Monday by the Centre for Cities reveals that Liverpool, Cardiff, Nottingham, Newcastle and Glasgow have suffered more in the second part of the downturn, in 2009-12, than they did in 2008-09, and rival city leaders engaged in bitter party political battles over cuts are watching Ferguson closely as he attempts to exploit his political freedom. |
| "This is an interesting test of how far an independent can get by not getting involved in 'yah-boo' party politics," said Tony Travers, a local government expert at the London School of Economics. "He is a high-profile enough figure in a big enough city. Having a vision of sunlit uplands is no bad thing for a city leader, but I have never really been able to see how you can take the politics out of politics. All mayors end up portioning out resources and Ferguson's decisions about balancing spending on social care against any spending on these projects is a political decision." | "This is an interesting test of how far an independent can get by not getting involved in 'yah-boo' party politics," said Tony Travers, a local government expert at the London School of Economics. "He is a high-profile enough figure in a big enough city. Having a vision of sunlit uplands is no bad thing for a city leader, but I have never really been able to see how you can take the politics out of politics. All mayors end up portioning out resources and Ferguson's decisions about balancing spending on social care against any spending on these projects is a political decision." |
| Bristol is far from the poorest city in the country, but parts have been hard hit in the downturn and Bristol's employment rate fell by almost three percentage points last year. | Bristol is far from the poorest city in the country, but parts have been hard hit in the downturn and Bristol's employment rate fell by almost three percentage points last year. |
| The cuts will be dealt with but the priority, Ferguson says, is "making Bristol known across the world so we don't have to say its a port somewhere near Bath, which I have found myself saying in China, America and India". Drawing inspiration from the city's most famous son, Isambard Kingdom Brunel ("Britain's greatest exponent of the art of the impossible"), he has set out plans to transform an uninspiring corridor from the Temple Meads railway station to the harbour. Last week he was in London to tell an audience of architects: "There will be some grand projects. Look out for them." | The cuts will be dealt with but the priority, Ferguson says, is "making Bristol known across the world so we don't have to say its a port somewhere near Bath, which I have found myself saying in China, America and India". Drawing inspiration from the city's most famous son, Isambard Kingdom Brunel ("Britain's greatest exponent of the art of the impossible"), he has set out plans to transform an uninspiring corridor from the Temple Meads railway station to the harbour. Last week he was in London to tell an audience of architects: "There will be some grand projects. Look out for them." |
| His political rivals in Bristol are concerned. "I don't question the need for having a fantastic city centre which attracts the right investment, but you mustn't do that at the expense of forgetting there are some people who are really suffering," said Helen Holland, leader of the Labour group. | His political rivals in Bristol are concerned. "I don't question the need for having a fantastic city centre which attracts the right investment, but you mustn't do that at the expense of forgetting there are some people who are really suffering," said Helen Holland, leader of the Labour group. |
| Nigel Costley, regional secretary of South West Trades Union Congress, said: "Great architectural visions have got to be matched with a commitment to a greater equality in Bristol. The differences between south Bristol and Bristol west are astonishing in terms of educational attainment, levels of poverty." | Nigel Costley, regional secretary of South West Trades Union Congress, said: "Great architectural visions have got to be matched with a commitment to a greater equality in Bristol. The differences between south Bristol and Bristol west are astonishing in terms of educational attainment, levels of poverty." |
| Ferguson, 65, has spent more than 40 years in Bristol, where he runs an architecture firm and has brought the redundant Tobacco factory back to life as a performance venue, performing arts school, restaurant, café bar and apartment block. He is adamant his vision is more than window dressing. | Ferguson, 65, has spent more than 40 years in Bristol, where he runs an architecture firm and has brought the redundant Tobacco factory back to life as a performance venue, performing arts school, restaurant, café bar and apartment block. He is adamant his vision is more than window dressing. |
| Ferguson is convinced that members of his profession make good city leaders and he points to the achievements of Jaime Lerner, the architect-turned-mayor of the Brazilian city of Curitiba, whose reforms of transport, parks and architecture drew international praise. "Architects can see through walls," Ferguson said. "They can see beyond just counting numbers. What we too often do in politics is we react to the measurable because it is safer, but I think architects are prepared to take leaps of imagination that aren't measurable in economic or other ways. It may be a bit of leap into the unknown but it can be a quantum leap in the way the city works by being a bit braver than others might be." | Ferguson is convinced that members of his profession make good city leaders and he points to the achievements of Jaime Lerner, the architect-turned-mayor of the Brazilian city of Curitiba, whose reforms of transport, parks and architecture drew international praise. "Architects can see through walls," Ferguson said. "They can see beyond just counting numbers. What we too often do in politics is we react to the measurable because it is safer, but I think architects are prepared to take leaps of imagination that aren't measurable in economic or other ways. It may be a bit of leap into the unknown but it can be a quantum leap in the way the city works by being a bit braver than others might be." |
| He has concentrated power in his own hands and is responsible for planning, transport, education and social care, although he promises to delegate the last two soon. His method is to push through changes and reverse them if they don't work, rather than engaging in long consultations, and he believes "democracy and environmental progress don't always gel". | He has concentrated power in his own hands and is responsible for planning, transport, education and social care, although he promises to delegate the last two soon. His method is to push through changes and reverse them if they don't work, rather than engaging in long consultations, and he believes "democracy and environmental progress don't always gel". |
| Asked about his approach, he said: "I wouldn't like to say autocratic but there needs to be an intelligent use of democracy that weighs consultation and response. Consultation needs to be genuine, but it is so much more valuable when it is based on real experience rather than the fear of change." | Asked about his approach, he said: "I wouldn't like to say autocratic but there needs to be an intelligent use of democracy that weighs consultation and response. Consultation needs to be genuine, but it is so much more valuable when it is based on real experience rather than the fear of change." |
| Ferguson has told the coalition government to use Bristol as a testbed for new ideas about city leadership. For example, he has asked for powers to refuse planning permission to the major supermarkets, with whom he says he is "at war", in order to encourage independent retailers. The supermarket chains "are more responsible for the blanding of our cities than any other single business", he said. | Ferguson has told the coalition government to use Bristol as a testbed for new ideas about city leadership. For example, he has asked for powers to refuse planning permission to the major supermarkets, with whom he says he is "at war", in order to encourage independent retailers. The supermarket chains "are more responsible for the blanding of our cities than any other single business", he said. |
| "Its a great offer to government," Ferguson said. "I'll take the blame if things don't work, and if they do work they can be used by other cities." | "Its a great offer to government," Ferguson said. "I'll take the blame if things don't work, and if they do work they can be used by other cities." |
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