Mayor of Bristol

The Mayor of Bristol is the head of government of Bristol and the chief executive of the Bristol City Council. The mayor is a directly elected politician who, along with the 70 members of Bristol City Council, is responsible for the strategic government of the city of Bristol, England. The role was created after a local referendum held on 3 May 2012, which followed the passage of the Localism Act 2011. 41,032 voted for an elected mayor and 35,880 voted against, with a turnout of 24%. An election for the new post was held on 15 November 2012. The incumbent mayor is Marvin Rees, elected on 5 May 2016. The post of Lord Mayor of Bristol is a separate office, elected each May by city councillors and taking office on 29 September for a one-year period. The Lord Mayor chairs Council meetings and performs ceremonial functions in the city. On 7 December 2021, Bristol City Council voted in favour of holding another referendum on the position of mayor in May 2022, with regards to whether to retain the position or return to decision-making by councillors. The referendum result was to abolish the position, and replace it with a committee system at the end of the current mayoral term in May 2024.