The Transition Bath Hustings on 23 April at St Michael’s Without Church welcomed three of the candidates vying to become the next Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority.
The three candidates who attended were:
• Mary Page (Green Party) • Oli Henman (Lib Dems) • Ian Scott (Independent)
• Helen Godwin (Labour) • Steve Smith (Conservatives) and Arron Banks (Reform) were not able to attend.
The focus of the hustings was how the new mayor can make the region more environmentally sustainable.
The successful candidate will be responsible for spending over £1 billion in B&NES, Bristol and South Gloucestershire during their term in the areas of transport, housing & planning, skills and education, environment & energy, and business investment.
The full video of the event is Transition Bath WECA Mayoral Hustings April 23rd 2025 – YouTube
An overview summary of the points raised by the candidates during the Hustings
MARY PAGE (Green Party)
Nature, Nurture, and Needs Plan: Focuses on environmental protection, empowering communities with local and neighbourhood plans, and integrating green spaces into urban planning.
Housing: Advocates for “right homes in the right place at the right price,” opposes top-down housing targets, and stresses the need for affordable, sustainable housing. Supports retrofitting existing homes.
Transport: Proposes a “Freedom Pass” for integrated bus and train travel, franchising buses, and improving accessibility. Opposes Bristol Airport expansion.
Economy & Skills: Highlights the need for green tech and digital skills training, leveraging regional innovation centers like the National Composites Centre.
Local Democracy: Supports community-led decision-making and opposes overly centralized power.
OLI HENMAN (Liberal Democrats)
Sustainability & Transport: Prioritizes decarbonizing transport, franchising buses for reliability, and exploring light rail/tram systems. Supports better integration of transport modes.
Housing: Calls for a joined-up spatial strategy across councils, ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with development.
Renewables & Nature: Advocates for wind, solar, and tidal energy, plus biodiversity net gain in new developments.
Local Engagement: Promises regular community consultations and collaboration with councils.
Airport Expansion: Opposes Bristol Airport’s premature expansion but supports decarbonizing aviation.
IAN SCOTT (Independent)
Experience: Stresses his 25 years as a councillor and local government officer.
Housing: Opposes greenbelt development without infrastructure (e.g., hospitals, GPs). Advocates for council housing.
Transport: Supports bus franchising but warns of private operator limitations. Pushes for mass transit and reopening disused rail lines (e.g., Filton North station).
Funding: Demands fairer funding from central government, criticizing the region’s net contribution to the UK economy.
Airport Expansion: Opposes expansion, citing potential for electric planes.
KEY THEMES
Transport: All candidates support bus franchising and better integration but differ on light rail (Oli) vs. mass transit (Ian). Mary emphasizes accessibility.
Housing: Consensus on affordability and infrastructure-first development, but Ian is most critical of greenbelt building.
Environment: Strong focus on retrofitting (Mary/Oli), renewables, and opposing airport expansion.
Local Democracy: Mary and Ian stress decentralizing power; Oli highlights cross-party collaboration.
Economy: All agree on leveraging regional strengths (e.g., aerospace) but differ on business incentives vs. public investment.
CONTRASTS
LTNs (Low Traffic Neighborhoods): Ian and Oli criticize poor consultation; Mary calls for gradual, community-backed implementation.
Airport: Mary and Ollie firmly oppose expansion; Ian ties it to electric aviation.
Funding: Ian’s central demand is “give us our money back”; Oli/Mary focus on strategic investments.
The debate revealed broad agreement on sustainability and transport but distinct approaches to governance and priorities.
Image shows Ian Scott, Mary Page, Peter Andrews (chair) and Oli Henman.