Business leaders in Bristol are urging Bristol City Council to reject a motion that could lead to the scrapping of the city鈥檚 elected mayor.
On Tuesday (December 7) the local authority will hear a motion at its full meeting which could trigger a referendum on whether Bristol retains a mayor or moves back to a committee and leader system.
The directly elected mayor (DEM) model was chosen by the people of Bristol in a 2012 referendum and means the leader of the city is voted for every four years.
South West chamber of commerce Business West said 鈥渟trengthening鈥 the current model would improve decision making in Bristol, while a referendum would be a 鈥渄istraction鈥.
In a letter sent to councillors ahead of the meeting next week, Business West said: 鈥淲e want to see a strong and effective system of local government which is best able to serve all our communities.
"We need to ensure that there is consistency of leadership over each four-year period so that critical issues of, for example, transport and land use planning can be agreed and delivered.鈥
The letter was signed by Jaya Chakrabarti, president of Business West; James Durie, its chief executive; and chairman John Savage.
Business West said it believed it shared 鈥渓egitimate concerns鈥 that the role of councillors in decision making had been 鈥渞estricted鈥 and that the expansive remit of the mayor risked 鈥渙verloading one individual鈥.
The organisation also noted 鈥渙ther issues鈥, including the role of councillors within the wider West of England Combined Authority (Weca).
鈥淎s national government shifts more funding into regional authorities, we need to make sure that the leadership in the city is right to work in the context of WECA, too,鈥 Business West wrote.
The organisation said the five changes of leadership at Bristol City Council in the seven years before the 2012 referendum 鈥渕ade stability and consistency impossible鈥 for decision-making, and 鈥渢he case harder鈥 for investment to be made in the city.
鈥淲e believe that we can find the right way to balance leadership, accountability, and a renewed role for councillors, amongst others, to help the city move forward,鈥 Business West wrote.
鈥淚n the meantime, we feel that a referendum will be a distraction and urge that the motion be rejected in favour of a commitment by all to improve the DEM model.鈥
Bristol City Council declined to comment ahead of the meeting. The mayor's office has been contacted for a statement.
Like this story? Why not sign up to get all the latest South West business and retail news straight to your inbox?
