One of the joys of being a political insider in Bristol (fancy name for councillor) is that you get to see how the system works. Or more to the point how it doesn’t work. Having spent 3 and a bit years in the system as a back bencher, chair of scrutiny and executive member I am convinced that the biggest problem with politics in the city is the electoral system (I predict that there will now be at least 20 comments saying ‘oh no its not its the politicians’ – proving that original thought is dead on Bristol’s blogasphere).
I will go even further and say that the electoral system as it stands has, and will, hold back Bristol from becoming the great city it should be.
The current system, where 2/3rds of the city vote for 1/3rd of the councillors every 3 years out of 4, means that no party really has a mandate – and no one in charge can get on with the job without having one eye on the next round of elections. This leads to constant shifts in policy which leaves all those charged to deliver the key services to the city with no stable base on which they can take it forward.
The solution is quite simple – move to all out elections every 4 years where All of Bristol can Decide about all of Bristols future. By moving to all out elections every four years political parties and others will be able to put forward how they would like the city to be run. All Bristol will be able to decide if they like these plans. The new administration would have four years to deliver their promises, if they don’t all of Bristol will be able to kick them out.
And we can do it. (This bit gets a bit technical – but bear with it.) Bristol,as a non Metropolitan District Council, has an obligation under the Local Government Act 2000 (as amended by the 2007 Act) to elect a leader with a term up to the end of their period as a councillor, this could be as much as four years. This change must take place from 2011. The act further allows for the councillors of the city to call a special meeting to vote on changes to the electoral system which allow for all up elections every four years. It also specifies that Bristol, as a non metropolitan council, can hold these elections in 2011.
That all means that we have an opportunity to move to all out elections in 2011 but we have to have made that decision by the end of 2010 at the latest.
I must confess that I have yet to meet a non politician who thinks that this is a bad idea (with the possible exception of Chris Hutt – who never thinks anything new is a good idea!). A large number of politicians I have spoken to think it is a good idea. The Evening Post have given good coverage. Even Tony Benn thinks it’s a good idea!
So what can we do about it? Well if you think it is a good idea then sign the petition on Ask Bristol. If you have a Facebook account join the Let All Bristol Decide group. If you would like to help the campaign, receive updates or more information email letallbristol@btinternet.com.
If enough of us shout loud enough we can change the system.
March 10, 2009 at 9:25 am
Morning Terry
The problem with the electoral system is the absence of a FAIR VOTING SYSTEM! We need proportional representation to ensure that every vote counts.
If we had PR then we would be encouraged to develop consensus rather than confrontation, building alliances between different shades of political opinion.
Cheers
Jon
March 10, 2009 at 9:27 am
Any reason that my comments need moderation?
March 10, 2009 at 9:55 am
Jon
On your first point our local government system has two spheres the local and the executive. It is difficult to see how you elect local representatives using a city wide PR system. You can make a case for having separate election based on PR for the city wide executive, but that is not within my sphere of influence at this time.
I am, however attempting to change the possible, not theorise about electoral systems. I take it from your post that you are not in favour in making the change to ‘all ups’.
On your second point about moderation. You really need to deal with this paranoia that everyone is trying to exclude you! WordPress in common with most blogging providers have a system where first comments by individuals are sent for moderation. Once that first comment is allowed all other comments from that individual go through unmoderated. No one is trying to gag you!!!
March 10, 2009 at 10:08 am
Terry
Well done on raising the profile of this. It is confusing to people that elections take place and they have no vote – because they are in the third of the city without an election. We need to have all outs at the same time as Banes, North Somerset and South Glos.
March 10, 2009 at 10:37 am
Scotland manages to have proportional representation for local government elections, using the Single Transferable Vote. It has so far produced lots of NOC councils – no change there for Bristol, then.
March 10, 2009 at 11:35 am
Forest Pines you are right but a pre-requisite for this type of change is all up elections – which is exactly what I am asking for – and four member wards – which I have yet to be convinced about!
March 10, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Hi Terry,
I love this idea and would welcome the stability that the 4 years would bring to this city rather than the current system. I still think it suits the Councillors across all parties to keep the present system, so we will see how brave they all are.
I am concerned though that under the Local Government Public involvement and Health Act 2007, this could have been made this a reality at the start when the Council choose the Leader/Cabinet/Exec model rather than the mayor model. We could also have changed Ward bounderies at this time and I guess that many citizens would think that 72 Councillors are far too expensive for the Council Tax to support. Especially in light of the Councils reduction in jobs across it’s services right now. Maybe the debate should be wider than the 4 years elections. The new Act enables Councils to have already done this, I guess the question is why wasn’t it done in 2007/8 and having set the way forward can it be done now. If it can then I think it should be.
March 11, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Just like to say that I agree with you on this Terry.
People, as a whole, need to get the council they vote for and thus need to vote as a whole!
March 11, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Thanks for your support Glen.
One of the things that I wasn’t very clear about in the blog was that this is not about party politics. My hope is that we can convince enough politicians to put Bristol before their own party concerns. We will see!
March 12, 2009 at 8:36 am
This is such a no-brainer I’m surprised we need to have a debate about it.
March 12, 2009 at 9:07 am
BB I am getting worried. I have agreed with you twice in the last couple of weeks. The first on your comment on the electoral wisdom of the Lib Dems bringing us (Labour administration) down over an incinerator when they had the chance to do it over education. And now this! (Actually I dare say you are more concerned by this coming together of views than I am!)
You are right we don’t really need a debate on it. We need ACTION. We will only get that if we shout at our local politicians of all parties very loudly! Sign the petition – join the campaign!!
March 19, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Hi Terry
I’m so pleased that you’ve raised this issue, I find the current system a huge frustration and it is getting Bristol no where! Look at us here – we’re a brilliant city, with so much to show off, and yet we are stuck in this awful rut of the ever-changing political see-saw. I just hope that we can wake up enough people to the possibilities that such a change would bring. Personally I don’t care if it means a party different to my own would be in power for four years – if they don’t perform and people are unhappy, they just won’t be re-elected. That’s the beauty of a democracy, only at present we’re not seeing any of the benefits here in Bristol!
September 20, 2009 at 11:36 pm
I am not a politician, and I think that having the whole council elected every 4 years it not a good idea. If we had half the council elected every 2 years, then everybody would know that there would be an election in their ward, when the elections came up. Parties could run proper city-wide campaigns, and would have to put up proper policy platforms, so that those of us who bother to vote could make informed decisions. As for PR in Bristol, I think that a councillor should be elected first past the post in an individual ward, a that way, those councillors who do a lousy job can be booted out in an election, rather than escape by being high up on some party list.