Council leaders and metro mayor clash over ‘navel-gazing’ review

THE new metro mayor clashed with the leaders of the three councils that make up the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) at their first public meeting.

Dan Norris vetoed an attempt by Bristol’s fellow Labour mayor Marvin Rees, South Gloucestershire Council Conservative leader Cllr Toby Savage and Bath & North East Somerset Council Lib Dem leader Cllr Kevin Guy to spend £100,000 reviewing how Weca works and makes decisions.

He branded the proposed governance review a “navel-gazing” exercise and said there were more pressing matters as the region recovers from the pandemic.

The three unitary authority leaders insisted it was the ideal time to hold the review – a stance backed by the cross-party Weca scrutiny committee two days earlier – because Mr Norris was voted into office at May’s local elections, succeeding Tory Tim Bowles who held the inaugural position from 2017.

According to the amendment, which fell because Mr Norris had power of veto, the aim was to “better understand what has worked well over the last four years and those areas where we can come together further to deliver improved collaborative working to the greater benefit of our area”

It said: “This would also recognise that over this period the external environment has changed significantly, and new ways of working may now be more appropriate in facing the challenges and opportunities ahead.”

Mr Norris said: “Spending £100,000 of taxpayers’ money on navel gazing isn’t the right thing to do during this crucial time for our recovery.

“Local people will expect us to be getting on with investing in jobs and skills, improving transport and tackling the climate emergency.”