By John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter: With an election coming up and the shock news of Metro Mayor Dan Norris’ arrest, the West of England Combined Authority has been thrown into the headlines in recent days.
It is a hugely important organisation, controlling how millions of pounds of public money are spent across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset. But it is not always clear to many what the combined authority is responsible for. Voters in the West of England are set to elect their new Metro Mayor on May 1.
Meanwhile the current Metro Mayor, Dan Norris, was arrested on Friday April 4 on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl, rape, child abduction, and misconduct in a public office. Avon and Somerset Police said most of the offences are alleged to have occurred in the 2000s but the force said it was also investigating an alleged offence of rape in the 2020s.
Here is everything you need to know about what the West of England Combined Authority is, who you can vote for, and what we know so far about why the Metro Mayor has been arrested:
What does the West of England Combined Authority do?
Created in 2017, the combined authority is made up of Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council, and Bath and North East Somerset Council. It was largely intended to cover the former County of Avon, although North Somerset Council chose not to join.
A West of England Combined Authority spokesperson said: “The combined authority plays a key role in the West of England, including areas such as jobs and growth, transport, skills, the environment, planning and housing, and business support.”
The Metro Mayor leads the combined authority, where major decisions are made up of a committee of the Metro Mayor and the leaders of the three other councils. It deals with how to deliver millions of pounds of investment into the region. But its main role is as the regional transport authority, ensuring public transport covers the area.
Although most buses are run by commercial bus companies, the combined authority provides live bus information under the travelWEST brand and pays for supported bus services on routes which are not commercially viable for bus companies. Any move towards bus franchising — having a publicly run bus network like in London and Greater Manchester — would be led by the combined authority if it happens.
The combined authority has funded the birthday bus pass scheme, the hireable e-scooters in Bath and Bristol, and the MetroWest project to increase the frequency of trains and open new stations — which includes the reopening of the railway to Portishead. The combined authority will play a key role in the future of the region’s mass transit system — although plans on this came to a deadlock over the issue of a Bristol Underground in 2023.
The combined authority is also supposed to lead coordination between its constituent councils on housing strategy through a regional housing plan. But attempts to work together to draw up this plan have not been successful.
Combined authorities are only set to become more powerful under the Labour government’s “English Devolution” plans.
The West of England, WECA, or WEMCA?
One reason for a lack of name recognition for the West of England Combined Authority, is a lack of consistency over what its name actually is.
Officially is the West of England Combined Authority. This unwieldy name is often acronymised to WECA by journalists and local government officials, although some — Norris included — have never liked the acronym.
More recently, the term “West of England Mayoral Combined Authority” has been used to highlight the distinction from combined authorities without a mayor. With the Labour government’s “English devolution” plans set to make combined authorities a more important part of the government landscape, the distinction which affects what powers that have is set to become more important.
Adding to the confusion, the Wikipedia entry for the combined authority was recently changed to add the word “Mayoral” and to change WECA to new acronym WECMA which is not in widespread usage anywhere.
Meanwhile, Metro Mayor role itself is variously called the Metro Mayor, just “the mayor,” “WECA Mayor,” or “Mayor of the West.” Poll cards for the upcoming election refer to the position as “Mayor for West of England Combined Authority.”
Who are the candidates?
Six people are standing for the position — whatever you choose to call it. The full list of candidates is:
- Arron Banks (Reform UK)
- Helen Godwin (Labour)
- Oli Henman (Liberal Democrat)
- Mary Page (Green)
- Ian Scott (Independent)
- Steve Smith (Conservative)
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service at an event to launch the election race with all candidates on April 3, Conservative candidate and former Bristol City councillor Steve Smith said he would stop funding for more controversial liveable neighbourhoods in Bath and Bristol. Meanwhile Liberal Democrat candidate Oli Henman, who is a councillor on Bath and North East Somerset Council, said the Liberal Democrats were the only party who could “bring everyone together” and come up with a joint plan in the region.
Green candidate Mary Page said it was not hypocritical to run for Metro Mayor after successfully campaigning to scrap Bristol’s elected mayor, who ran the city council. She said the Mayor of Bristol, who was directly elected, was a “dictatorial” role while the Metro Mayor role was about bringing people together.
Brexit campaign donor and now Reform UK candidate Arron Banks stood by his 2017 comments describing Bristol as a “little Somalia.” He then blamed Somalians and Romanians for crime in the city. He has not provided a source for this claim which is not supported by crime statistics seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. He also said that the role had very little power and there wasn’t much that whoever won could get done.
Labour candidate Helen Godwin said she wanted to “get the buses sorted first,” and would not take anything off the table in terms of a mass transport network. But longtime Labour South Gloucestershire councillor Ian Scott, who is standing as an independent candidate after repeatedly not being selected as Labour’s Metro Mayor candidate, said he had more experience than her. He said he was not going to make any commitments before being elected.
What does the mayor’s arrest mean?
The race to become the next Metro Mayor has been largely overshadowed by the arrest of the current holder of the office on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.
Norris has been the Metro Mayor since 2021. He was arrested on Friday April 4 and has been released on conditional bail. He has not been charged with an offence. His time as Metro Mayor is already coming to an end as he is not standing for reelection on May 1, a decision which predated his arrest.
Alongside his role as Metro Mayor, Norris was elected as the MP for North East Somerset and Hanham at the 2024 general election. It follows similar boundaries to the Wansdyke constituency which Norris represented from 1997 until 2010 when he was unseated by Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg, who he defeated in July to win the seat back.
Under Labour Party policy about second jobs, Norris could not stand for reelection to the Metro Mayor role while an MP. The Labour Party immediately suspended Norris upon learning of his arrest.
With the election less than a month away, the combined authority is in the “pre election period” — previously called “purdah” — meaning that major decision making is effectively on pause for the remainder of his term as Metro Mayor. Staff at the West of England Combined Authority are being offered specialist trauma support.
Avon and Somerset Police said on Saturday April 5: “In December 2024, we received a referral from another police force relating to alleged non-recent child sex offences having been committed against a girl.
“Most of the offences are alleged to have occurred in the 2000s, but we’re also investigating an alleged offence of rape from the 2020s.
“An investigation, led by officers within Operation Bluestone, our dedicated rape and serious sexual assault investigation team, remains ongoing and at an early stage.
“The victim is being supported and given access to any specialist help or support she needs.
“A man, aged in his sixties, was arrested on Friday (April 4) on suspicion of sexual offences against a girl (under the Sexual Offences Act 1956), rape (under the Sexual Offences Act 2003), child abduction and misconduct in a public office. He’s been released on conditional bail for enquiries to continue.
“This is an active and sensitive investigation, so we’d respectfully ask people not to speculate on the circumstances so our enquiries can continue unhindered.”
Is North Somerset joining?
North Somerset Council has written to the government to express interest in joining the combined authority. But the plans are not confirmed and are at an early stage. It will not join before the election on May 1.
How can I vote?
You can vote in the election if you are eligible and registered to vote in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, or Bath and North East Somerset. You will need to bring an accepted form of photo ID with you to vote.
The deadline to register to vote in the election is midnight on Friday April 11. You can register to vote here: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
You will need to bring one of the following accepted forms of photo ID with you to vote:
- a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
- a driving licence issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands
- a UK passport
- a passport issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country
- a PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
- a Blue Badge
- a biometric residence permit (BRP)
- a Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90)
- a national identity card issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
- a Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card
- a Voter Authority Certificate
- an Anonymous Elector’s Document
- an older person’s bus pass
- a disabled person’s bus pass
- an Oyster 60+ card
- a Freedom Pass
- a Scottish National Entitlement Card (NEC)
- a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- a Northern Ireland concessionary travel pass
If you do not have an accepted form of photo ID, you can apply for a temporary ID called a voter authority certificate until 5pm on Wednesday April 23 here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate
A spokesperson for the West of England Combined Authority said: “It’s important that anyone who wants their say in the future of the region is registered to vote by 11 April to make your vote count in the election on 1 May.”
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