2017 West of England mayoral election

The inaugural West of England mayoral election was held on 4 May 2017 to elect the Mayor of the West of England metropolitan area. The area is made up of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire.[1] Subsequent elections will be held every four years.[2] The election was won by Conservative Tim Bowles.[3] The overall turnout for the election was low, with only 29.7% of the electorate voting.

2017 West of England mayoral election
4 May 2017
Turnout29.7%
 
Candidate Tim Bowles Lesley Mansell Stephen Williams
Party Conservative Labour Co-op Liberal Democrats
1st Round vote 53,796 43,627 39,794
Percentage 27.3% 22.2% 20.2%
2nd Round vote 70,300 65,923 Eliminated
Percentage 51.6% 48.4% Eliminated

 
Candidate John Savage Darren Hall Aaron Foot
Party Independent Green UKIP
1st Round vote 29,500 22,054 8,182
Percentage 15.0% 11.2% 4.2%
2nd Round vote Eliminated Eliminated Eliminated
Percentage Eliminated Eliminated Eliminated

Map of the results of the mayoral election by council

Mayor before election

Position established

Elected Mayor

Tim Bowles
Conservative

Background

The election coincided with the creation of the West of England Combined Authority, made up of the Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire council areas. North Somerset was not part of the Combined Authority, as its council voted against the devolution deal in June 2016.[4]

Procedure

Bristol City Council acted as the Combined Authority Returning Officer.[5] Formal nominations to stand could be made from 28 March 2017 to 4 April 2017.[6]

This election used the supplementary voting system, with electors having two votes. One vote for the first choice candidate, with an optional vote for a second choice candidate used if no candidate has more than 50% of the first choice votes.[5][7]

Campaign

Independent John Savage proposed the development of a "super tram network" for the Combined Authority if elected, as part of a larger public transport policy. He also pledged to write to Channel 4 to ask the channel to consider moving to the West of England. Labour candidate Lesley Mansell promised greater protection for private tenants against "unscrupulous" landlords and 4,000 new homes a year. Conservative Tim Bowles pledged to build more affordable homes and protect the green belt. Liberal Democrat candidate Stephen Williams launched a range of policies with Vince Cable, including rolling out broadband to the region's villages and getting rid of the Severn Bridge toll. Bowles, Mansell and Williams all advocated making the region attractive for business. UKIP's Aaron Foot promised to build an online direct democracy platform and to "end the war on motorists".[4]

Candidates

Candidates' Transport Infrastructure Debate at the Bristol and Bath Science Park

Six candidates stood in the election.[7]

Conservative Party

Tim Bowles, events company manager, South Gloucestershire councillor.[8]

Green Party

Darren Hall, former RAF engineering officer, project manager, former Parliamentary candidate in Bristol West.[9]

Labour Party

Lesley Mansell, NHS manager, Westfield parish councillor and former Peasedown St John parish councillor.[10]

Liberal Democrats

Stephen Williams, chartered tax consultant, former MP for Bristol West and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.[11]

UK Independence Party

Aaron Foot, farmer, Coleford parish councillor,[12] 2016 candidate for Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner.

Independent

John Savage, businessman, chair of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and Bristol Chamber of Commerce and Initiative, treasurer of Bristol Cathedral, 2012 Labour candidate for Avon & Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner.[13][14]

Results

Overall

West of England Mayoral Election 2017[15][16]
Party Candidate 1st round 2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
Total Of round Transfers Total Of round
Conservative Tim Bowles 53,796 27.3% 16,504 70,300 51.6%
Labour Co-op Lesley Mansell 43,627 22.2% 22,296 65,923 48.4%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Williams 39,794 20.2%
Independent John Savage 29,500 15.0%
Green Darren Hall 22,054 11.2%
UKIP Aaron Foot 8,182 4.2%
Majority 4,377 2.2%
Turnout 196,953 29.7%

Bath and North East Somerset

West of England Mayoral Election 2017 (Bath and North East Somerset)[17]
Party Candidate 1st round 2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
Total Of round Transfers Total Of round
Conservative Tim Bowles 13,103 32.1% 3,343 16,446 61.2%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Williams 10,021 24.6%
Labour Co-op Lesley Mansell 6,137 15.0% 4,309 10,446 38.8%
Independent John Savage 5,530 13.6%
Green Darren Hall 4,398 10.8%
UKIP Aaron Foot 1,604 3.9%
Majority 6,000 22.3%
Turnout 40,793 30.5%

Bristol

West of England Mayoral Election 2017 (Bristol)[17]
Party Candidate 1st round 2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
Total Of round Transfers Total Of round
Labour Co-op Lesley Mansell 29,676 29.6% 13,935 43,611 63.5%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Williams 20,675 20.6%
Conservative Tim Bowles 18,146 18.1% 6,917 25,063 36.5%
Independent John Savage 14,467 14.4%
Green Darren Hall 13,857 13.8%
UKIP Aaron Foot 3,354 3.3%
Majority 18,548 27.0%
Turnout 100,175 31.1%

South Gloucestershire

West of England Mayoral Election 2017 (South Gloucestershire)[17]
Party Candidate 1st round 2nd round
 First round votes  Transfer votes 
Total Of round Transfers Total Of round
Conservative Tim Bowles 22,547 40.3% 6,244 28,791 70.8%
Independent John Savage 9,503 17.0%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Williams 9,098 16.3%
Labour Co-op Lesley Mansell 7,814 14.0% 4,052 11,866 29.2%
Green Darren Hall 3,799 6.8%
UKIP Aaron Foot 3,224 5.8%
Majority 16,925 41.6%
Turnout 55,985 27.1%

References

  1. "'Metro mayor' to run new West of England authority". ITV. 15 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  2. "The West of England Combined Authority Order 2017", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2017/126
  3. "Tory Tim Bowles elected West of England mayor". BBC. Archived from the original on 5 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  4. Ashcroft, Esme (7 April 2017). "What have the Metro Mayor candidates promised so far?". Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  5. "Mayoral Election". West of England Combined Authority. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  6. "Prospective Candidate Information" (PDF). West of England Combined Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  7. "West of England Combined Authority Mayoral Election" (PDF). Bristol: Combined Authority Returning Officer. April 2017. BD9104. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  8. Alex Brown (23 January 2017). "Tim Bowles named Conservative Party candidate for West of England Metro Mayor elections". Bath Chronicle. Archived from the original on 26 January 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  9. Ashcroft, Esme (5 April 2017). "Metro Mayor candidate profile: Darren Hall for Green Party". Bristol Post. Archived from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  10. "Labour candidate for Metro Mayor revealed". Midsomer Norton, Radstock & District Journal. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  11. Ashcroft, Esme (2 May 2017). "Who are the Metro Mayor candidates you can vote for in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and B&NES?". Bristol Post. Archived from the original on 8 May 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
  12. "UKIP's Metro Mayor candidate | North East Somerset UKIP". www.nesukip.org.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  13. "Metro mayor independent launches campaign | News | Bristol 24/7". Bristol 24/7. 14 March 2017. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  14. "New Canon Treasurer appointed". Bristol Cathedral. 17 February 2014. Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  15. "Mayor of the West of England". BBC News. 5 May 2017. Archived from the original on 6 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  16. "West of England Combined Authority Mayoral election result". West of England Combined Authority. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  17. "West of England Combined Authority Mayoral election result - bristol.gov.uk". www.bristol.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
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