The West of England - A BBC West Debate A Mayor for...

For centuries, they Mayor has been the centre of municipal power. It

has been warned by Lord Mayor is for years, what a great privilege for me

to have it for one year. Now the people are collecting an additional

Mayor, for the West of England. What will that person do? That person

will be responsible for developing the economy of the region. Almost a

million of us from the great cities of Bristol and Bath to the busy

towns of Thornbury will choose at Metro Mayor. The winner will compete

with the northern Para has and the new Midlands engine, for jobs and

investment, for Bath, Bristol and beyond. First, they have to convince

the voters. I don't think we should have won. Waste of money. Would-be

employer may? I wouldn't mind having a couple of grand each month. The

long-term budget is ?1 million, control over jobs, transport and

where we live. There aren't enough decent homes, not nearly enough.

Fixing that will be right at the top of the new Metro Mayor's to do list.

From our safe harbours... To the dangerous waters of the River

Severn, can a Metro Mayor broaden our horizons?

Tonight, the six people who want to be Metro Mayor are here,

at the Bristol and Bath Science Park in South Gloucestershire.

In a special debate, we will be finding out who's got

what it takes to represent this vibrant part of the world on the

Hello welcome. It is good to be with you.

This is their interview with you, the voters.

Their chance to impress you as you make your

So, let's meet the people who want to be mayor

For the Conservatives, Tim Bowles, a councillor

For Ukip, Aaron Foot, who is a farmer.

The environmental consultant Darren Hall

She is a Diversity and Equality Manager for the NHS.

The only independent candidate is the businessman

and hospital chairman, that's John Savage.

And the ex-Bristol West MP and former government minister

Stephen Williams is standing for the Liberal Democrats.

I should does tell you that our audience tonight is made up of

community campaigners, local business people and supporters of

the candidates, some of their families are here as well and they

are welcome. Of course the political dynamic completely change this week

after the Prime Minister surprised us all by collie that General

Election. With that in mind, let's take our first question. The Prime

Minister is calling a surprise election in June, will this and

Brexit overshadow the role of the Metro Mayor and also the election in

itself, will it affect your focus on the job? My fears at the moment and

I am a Remainer through and through, is that this role is our safety net

and we need to make sure that whatever happens, the region and its

security is put at the top of the priority list. Whatever happens with

Brexit? All right, Tim Bowles, was Theresa May right to go to the

country and will it overshadow what we are doing tonight? We have been

asked how we think it will affect the election. I welcome the General

Election in that sense because I think it will help us raise the

profile of what is happening here. It will certainly mean we have more

media opportunities and I think it is a really positive thing for us to

be able to go and take our message is out. I voted to remain. Your

message to Theresa May is what? My message is to get the best deal for

the country and that is what will be working for. John Savage, are you

concerned about voter turnout? Yes I am. I think there is quite a lot of

voter boredom with politics in general and it is interesting how

quickly the magnet of central politics can draw the minds of

people away. This is a really unique opportunity. I think it strengthens

me to understand that we have got to make it work. The idea that we can

get more say about our own future is very important and it is a shame

that there has been this rather big hiatus. It is a spur to keep going.

Stephen Williams. I think it is a cynical and opportunist moved by the

Prime Minister to call an election, there is no pressing national reason

to do so. The only reason Theresa May is doing this is because she

recognises the fact that in Jeremy Corbyn led party, it is the best

scenario they could dream of in order to call a snap election. Three

years earlier than she needs to. In order to win a political advantage.

There is no pressing Brexit reason for doing so, it is simply naked

party advantage. However, are now in that situation

and the Liberal Democrats and myself and the selection will be putting

forward how we can still resist a Brexit, I am not in favour of a soft

Brexit, I think Brexit will be damaging to the regional economy. We

rely on our European partners for our trading links and if I am

elected as regional Mayor, I will be putting forward a case to put

forward to the Prime Minister to say this is what you need to protect us

against. It has put you on the spot, because you wanted to stand as a

candidate in Bristol as a Liberal Democrat and you're standing for

this, what would you prefer? I hope to win this election on May the 4th

and I think I have a good chance of doing so. And if I win this job, it

will actually be more important than a member of Parliament. I was a

member of Parliament for ten years. This is a huge opportunity for

someone to make a difference on the issues that used to frustrate me

when I was a councillor and an MP. I relish the challenge of winning this

position. So you would prefer this job? I would actually. Darren Hall.

I think you picked up a really important point, because the UK is

the most centrally controlled country in Europe and this is the

biggest opportunity in a generation that we have to have some control

back here. That has never been more important than now, when the

government are trying to set a autocracy up in London over the next

couple of years. People now have an opportunity on May the 4th to set

the scene for this region to be a beacon for equality, as opposed to

the kind of right wing mentality that we are getting from London at

the moment. And your views on Brexit? I would class myself as

European. I feel European and feel part of that family of countries who

were working together on a global scale. This idea that we are going

to go back to the Great Britain of old is completely ridiculous. We

need to work together on global problems. Don't think that we

support the people of this area by doing anything other than trying to

take positive steps. You would support Brexit? I am very clear that

we ought to have the opportunity to vote on what the deal is as part of

this process. We must move on. Lesley Mansell. Well, it is

affecting the election already because what we have found in the

Labour Party is that lots more people have got involved in the door

knocking and talking to people. It has really enthused the Labour Party

membership and the Co-op party membership. But I think it will also

do is hopefully in those more of the community to get involved. We have

found some people on the doorstep you are not quite sure about the

Metro Mayor but we are starting to get quite pointed questions asked of

us and so we should. I think we're in this position now because the

Conservative government have made a right hash of negotiations with the

Europeans, they have put their demands on the floor, on the table

and the European Union has said, we are not having that. 27 countries

have said we do not want that. Are you the person who can actually

mediate between the difficult political exchanges that there will

be? Well, I have been a trade unionist for 30 years now and one of

my fortes is trying to solve problems, to bring people together

and I can demonstrate how I have done that. You would do that with

the Conservatives as well? Absolutely. I have worked with them

as a local councillor. Aaron Foot. I think it is overshadowing it. We are

trying to get the message out of what the Metro Mayor is an people do

not know what it will involve, the powers that it will give us here in

the region and I think if we can try and engage with people and get the

fact that we will be taking on transport and housing and taking on

education and things like that, it would be an important message. It

has been overshadowed now by a government that wants a second

referendum technically on a General Election and I feel that the Tories

want to have a bigger mandate to have a soft Brexit. They don't want

to have a higher Brexit and they probably don't even want to have a

Brexit, they want to try and get the hard Brexiteers daily to down and

that is why they are pushing forward is to try and increase the majority

and I think it has been overshadowing the selection. You are

in favour of hard Brexit? I am a true Brexiteer. I would like to see

powers back to the people. Thank you. Let's take our next question

and it is from Richard Jordan. Good evening. What I would like to ask is

why do we need another Mayor with all the attendant staff and costs

and expenses? Particularly as the proposed Mayor does not include the

whole of the Greater Bristol area. Thank you for your question. Let's

talk to the Deputy Leader of North Somerset Council. North Somerset

have decided not to be part of the new Metro Mayor set up. Why is that?

Why aren't you joining not. I have to agree with the previous bigger.

We can see no reason for a Metro Mayor. We have worked perfectly well

with our colleagues in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. We have been

part of the West of England partnership. We worked on joint

transport, we have never had a quarrel in the ten years we have

been doing it and we have made real progress. There is ?1 billion of

government money over 30 years. That money, that part remains the same

but North Somerset is not part of it. Fine, we don't have a problem

with that because at the end of the day, the other local authorities are

going to have to borrow a great deal more than that

to be able to do things and we wouldn't want to be part of the

debt. Can I make one other point and that is that it is naive to think

that a Metro Mayor is going to tell the government what to do, the

government, whatever party it is, will tell the Metro Mayor what to do

or they will not give the money they think they are getting. Stephen

Williams, do you agree? I don't. It is a big mistake to opt out of this

arrangement and I think the residents will regret it perhaps

before their political leaders. In order to make this region work,

whoever is elected to this position will have to have a good

constructive relationship with all of our neighbours, certainly with

North Somerset but also with the historic county of Somerset,

Wiltshire and Gloucestershire as well. With the Welsh Government on

some issues as well, in order to rebalance the power of

decision-making away from our overcentralised system of government

that we have had for so long, to establishing strong leadership in

this region. The ?62,000 a year salary, is that

the beginning of it or is there more money? The important thing is it

actually makes somebody accountable for the investment and

opportunities, clearly defined in what those powers are. For us to be

able to start delivering for the region. The whole point of having a

regional mayors that we actually realise where there are strategic

roles, housing, transport, jobs and skill challenges, that allow us to

think collectively by working with our leaders to come up with those

solutions. That has to be done in a constructive way. It's one of the

things that has come out very much... It's another layer of

management, isn't it? The Tories are taking out managers from the NHS,

and putting them in. This is another layer? It's about making somebody

directly responsible for those strategic decisions, and somebody

who was then working with our leaders who are here this evening,

somebody who will have that skill and experience and expertise. That's

worth the extra money? None of us here on the stage today make any

decisions about the salary. Darren Hall, we have had a lot of anger

from viewers about this. Saying, what on earth do we need this

position for? I think, I have to say that North Somerset have made a

mistake. I agree, that in not being part of it, and the reason why is

that this area works as a system. Economists will talk about it as a

functional market area. People commute in and out of Bristol.

Because that is the way the system works. If you look at housing and

transport, part of the problem is because we have tried to break it

up. At the heart of some of the problems that are faced by this

functional market area. I'm pretty sure that by the time we get round

to, in four years' time, the voters of North Somerset will be saying to

their counsel, we had to be part of this agreement. We are being left

out. And you have said you will do it for half the money? What I have

said is that, why should I be paid more than the average of the region,

to highlight the fact that the average wage in this region is

around about ?30,000 a year. Its link to housing. If you want to try

to get a mortgage, four times ?30,000 a year does not enable you

to buy a house in this region. I don't think the average is dirty, I

think it's less. We have some other council leaders in our audience

tonight. -- I don't think the average is 30. The newly elected

Mayor of Bristol, are you worried that you might be big footed by one

of these guys? I'm not worried at all. What I need to hear from the

candidates are some clarity over how they see this position, relating to

the existing leaders of the authority. And the sovereignty

within our own authorities now. I have been concerned that some of the

language talks about coming in, being in charge, even just now I

have had a number of candidates talk about their relationship to

government with no reference to the existing authorities. We have an

elected ads leaders of our area with a mandate. I have said, one of the

most important qualities of the Metro Mayor will be a emotional

intelligence. Four of us, in terms of combined authority. We have

developed a coherent set of relationships. What we are saying,

anyone who comes in, you can't come in like a big but because actually,

we are here. If you disturb those relationships, it will cause a

problem. You will have to be very smart about this. One thing I

learned today is that you three will be the vice Metro Mayor. Of course.

I have been elected to Bristol, Tim has been elected to Baines, Matthew

is elected in self authorship. We are elected to run our authorities.

-- in South Gloucestershire. This is not just about legislative powers.

The areas over which you have control are quite limited. I want to

come back to the other two as well. But we must go back to the

candidates. Lesley Mansell, your thoughts? What I'm seeing on the

doorstep, people are sick of authority. They are struggling to

find decent housing and having to deal with the inequality in the job

market. The daily commute. This is an opportunity to bring somebody in

who will work with the three authorities, as Marvin Rees has just

outlined, to try and get a better deal not just for one group within

the area but with everyone in the area. John Savage? This conversation

just proves that this is not a job for a conventional politician. It's

wrong. I must say, I absolutely understand the point about

respecting the other elected people. It is absolutely right. This is a

job to make it work. Let's be fair, you say you work together. You have

all over 30 years, and I in my business group have tried to do

things, failed to have ambition. If you have failed to do enough. You

have! By our standards, if it was not for my group, we would not have

developed harbour-side, we would not have gotten the shopping centre. You

are too slow. I admit that it is not about bossing you around, but you

need is support. I've been elected for one year. Let's talk to Tim

Warren and Matthew Riddle. Do you accept that? You have been slow and

you need a mature man to come along? That's total rubbish. -- you need to

a Metro Mayor. We are a team. We get on well. Three of us sitting at this

table. We are conservatives, Marvin is Labour. You would not know. We

want to move things on. I don't know if anyone knows how the voting

system works, but Mayor cannot come along and dictate. They will have to

work with us. Will you be able to get along? I think there is one

point, by the sound of it. I'm happy to work with anybody to advance the

South Gloucestershire and the West of England. Whoever is elected, we

will work closely and meaningfully with anybody to make this work.

Aaron Foot? I think you're quite right. It's about facilitating a

roll and listening to the people, working with leaders of all three

areas. We can't forget North Somerset. They are still in this

area, it has Bristol Airport and Avonmouth. We can't forget them. We

have to work and facilitate the role. This is where direct democracy

comes in. Why would you facilitate North Somerset when they don't want

to join in? Because they are still part of the greater area. You still

have to listen to them. We had to work as a coherent team. You would

like more referendums? Yes, I would like more say. What sort of

referendum? It depends what people want. More bus services, cheaper bus

services, no park and ride in Bathampton Meadows? Let's have our

say. Tim? My whole philosophy and everything I have done in work,

socially and politics, has been about working together. That is the

only way we do get good results. I am very lucky to have worked with

Matthew and him very closely for a long time. I know they work closely

with Marvin, and I know they get, from everything I hear, they work

really well together. It is critical that somebody joins you as a team,

and works together will stop by doing that, we will get the right

decisions on this key things, transport and housing. You could

work with them. Could you also work with a Labour government? Yes,

because ultimately we will be going along on behalf of everybody here.

In this room. With these three leaders, to make our case for the

right things for the future of the West of England. Stephen Williams.

You need to be a diplomat for this job. You have to get along with

these people and the government. And put the West country's case. They

have been less than flattering about some of your opponents? You do have

to be a diplomat in order to make a success of this job. In all the time

I have been politics, I have worked with people from other parties.

Going right back to when I was a very young councillor in the early

90s. I worked with Labour, Conservatives. Can you remind us of

your words about some of your fellow candidates? One of the things I

think the public are looking for in this election is, can they spot a

candidate who has got ideas about what they want to do? Can they

communicate what they want to do? It's really an insult to the

electorate, putting them up. That's what you said. You've never seen

such a... I use the word. I can tell you. Some of the party members of

the Labour candidates are even more disparaging to me in person about

their choice of candidate. I was simply reflecting that. In this job,

you have to work with people across political parties and I have done

that including a national government. Let's turn out to some

of the key powers that one of these candidates will have. Just a quick

show of hands, in the audience. How many of you came here by bus

tonight? I thought it might be. We have got one. I did not know there

was a boss running here. I don't know how you did it, but well done.

That brings us neatly to the subject of transport. Here is false report

from Robin Markwell. -- here is our first report. Westman, what West

Mayor? Do you know about that, the Metro Mayor? The Metro Mayor. No.

Some of the cab drivers at Bristol Temple Meads were still in the dark

over this new politician. Yet he or she will play a key role in tackling

some of the worst gridlock the country. What the traffic like here?

Horrendous. Very poor. Very hard to drive around. 40 years I've been a

cabbie. Last five or six years, it's been a nightmare. The winning

candidate will have to devise a transport plan for the region. They

will have control over key roads as well. That could mean a clean air

zone all a congestion charge. There is power over the buses. Handing out

franchises, if operators fail. What you think of public transport?

Really awful. Nothing is on time. The standard of service? No. There

don't seem to be enough buses and you can't actually tell when they

are going to arrive. The timing is bad. The price is increasing. It's

not great. It used to be 70p for a ticket, then 80p, then a pound, then

?1 20. It's going up too much. This government is ripping us off! Along

with the power comes money. A promise of 30 million a year for 30

years to spend on infrastructure. Then there's the chance to raise

more by increasing taxes on business. So who can get our region

moving again? Now that is the billion pound question. Thanks to

Robin and our next question. On transport, that comes from Becky

Farmer. Good evening. I appreciate that there is no easy solution to

traffic congestion. If we need to get more traffic of our roads, why

can't we invest in an underground metro system? A tube, you mean? That

would be ambitious. John Savage? There are two things, in particular,

the cost. A tube would be enormously expensive. Our peculiar and

wonderful geography would make it quite difficult. It's a nice idea

but don't think it is the answer. There are answers, the existing work

that is being done is laudable. It goes some way to making change. But

there are other answers. I think I saw this tube, a tram, to certain

parts would be very useful. There are some other tricks. We do not

have public transport in England, in the UK, and we have to find ways of

making public transport more accessible. I do not think there is

any point in punishing car drivers, but we might use the car drivers

requirement to use their vehicle to help us pay for a system that would

get more people. A congestion charge. How would you get motorists

to pay? The guy we supported that. What we said was, the alternative

must be in place first. You talked of having a tram? Yes, there are

some obvious routes. How would you pay? From a combination of

investment, I think we would have a congestion charge. In the end, yes.

You haven't got the power is as much magic do that? A lot of this is

about negotiating new ways, change, a vision about how things should be

different. If we keep doing the same things we will get the same answers.

Lesley Mansell? In actual fact, there is already money coming into

this region to try to deal with the congestion. It has gone to the

authorities already mentioned. Some of that is about trying to get

people out of cars and onto public transport. What public transport?

There is lots we need to do about it. For example, make it greener so

it is less polluting. For me, we have to start thinking outside the

box. If we are going to make big changes, I think we should bring in

more flexible working. Not just about public authorities, but

businesses doing that as well. That could make a real difference. I

worked on a project at Bristol council a few years ago, one of the

big things to come out of that was the opening of the library on a

Sunday. It benefited an awful lot of people. I think if we have flexible

work we can make a lot of difference. On the actual

infrastructure, what would you do as a Labour candidate?

I would fill in the pot holes for a start. If you are psychos, it is a

nightmare. I thought you wanted underground trance. -- if you are a

psychologist. In Nottingham and they levied a charge on people parking at

work and what they did was they provided their service with that. I

think that will be something that will be looked at. You would look at

a tram system? There are lots of things we would look up but it would

depend what would work in different areas. Maybe that would work. I must

rush on. The only applause we have got is when you mentioned potholes.

Tim. Unfortunately, potholes will not fall under the remit of the

Mayor. The really important thing here. You could put the money into

pothole repairs. I know that our councils are investing a lot of

money in pothole repairs and I am not going to talk about that. Tell

me what you would do with public transport. We have to look at the

region, underground I don't think it will solve challenges. To solve

those problems, we need to have a whole host of integrated transport.

And the key again will be working with our council leaders and with

business importantly. Who would pay for it and what would it look like?

I am happy to go on to that. In different areas we will need

different solutions. We do need to invest in rail taking people off the

roads, improves air quality and improves our journey times. We need

to invest in what I call pinch points to look at how traffic flows.

When there is no one on the roads and I touched on this in an event

last week, during school holidays, transport is a lot easier. We need

to look up where those pinch points are and

invest in in the new strategic roads that we need to take that traffic

away and keep things moving. It needs to be a combination of new

rail, improved bus services, strategically and key road networks.

What about the congestion charge? No. It is not falling under our

remit. Stephen Williams. Candidates have to promise something realistic

and I do not think an underground system is realistic in our area but

there are lots of things we could do and we have missed out from doing in

the past. We need to make our buses more efficient by moving away from

pain by coins and notes to a cashless system so that you speed

them up along the main arterial roads. That will help contribute to

better air quality as well. There are railway stations that could be

reopened. And I am in favour of the clean air zone, air quality ought to

be a public health, it is a public health disaster and it ought to be a

major issue in this election. What about a congestion charge would you

ban diesels? Diesel is the problem because of the fine matter that is

admitted by diesel vehicles that deeply penetrate your lungs and the

NHS now says causes more premature deaths in our region than people who

are killed in road traffic accidents. I used to campaign

against tobacco, everyone gets up reading in tobacco

is bad for you and causes respiratory problems. Diesels, you

have not got the powers, but you could negotiate and try to ban them?

What I said in my manifesto is that this is an example whether regional

Mayor working with the council leaders would ask central government

for the ability to raise a charge of commercial vehicles especially or to

move to cleaner fuels. Darren Hall, this is your specialist subject.

What would you do? One point to say, thank you Becky for being so

ambitious in raising something that big and that is what we need, we

need big ideas for transport, because our thinking is as

gridlocked as our roads at the moment. What we have is a road

system with other bits of transport bolted on, so beware of politicians

bringing bold promises to meetings like this, because the reality is

over the next four years, this will be about setting a slight change in

direction of travel, so those cashless payment systems, I have

been to see about bringing in cleaner buses, but what we really

should be talking about is a transport revolution that looks at

the system which is based around non-car travel. And renew plea

powered automated vehicles, we should be looking 20 or 30 years

out. Is there anything you could deliver in your first 100 days? Yes,

I think there are a few things. Give me one example. We must aim to have

that cashless system across all the buses in the entire region. I

understand that that is very nearly available. If we have just got the

will to get all of the bus companies talking to each other. Aaron Foot. I

think we need to look at transport. It is strangling businesses here in

the West and it is also not making us want to go out or Explorer. We

have bus networks that don't really work. What is the answer? The answer

is a coherent system. We cannot penalised diesel cars. We have had

incentives to use diesels. We shouldn't be penalising diesel cars

because that is what we were told to use. You want to end the war on the

motorist. We want a coherent system, traffic lights that integrate with

the next set, roundabouts that actually work and not stalling card.

If we can get people moving and reduce congestion, then we will

reduce smog and pollution. General question for you all, you will have

some authority over the buses, you will have the power to nationalise

the bus services if you so wanted to do so. Who would be in favour of a

radical change on the buses? John Savage, yes? Would you bring them

in-house? I would get them to work better and I would make sure that we

looked at the possibility. Leslie, is that nationalisation on your

agenda? Absolutely. I would like to see bus companies like in London.

They have a mixed system and that is what we need to look at. The other

thing we need to look that is free bus passes for young people, 16-19,

it is a burden for them, some having to give up college courses. You

would subsidise that. Yes. What about the 15-year-olds? The would

pay. Young people having to stay at school until they are 18 so they

should be subsidised and have free passes. The more people who use

buses, the cheaper it gets for everyone. It works as a system and

that is the key point. How many of you use the bus? Hands up. A couple

of honest people. Thank you. If just joining us, you might have guessed,

this is not Question Time and I am not David Dimbleby, sadly, but

tonight we are hosting a special debate dedicated to the elections

for the West's first Mayor on the 4th of May. This Mayor will be

responsible for Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset. You can join in

the debate on Twitter. This Mayor will also have an important role in

delivering the homes we need. Here is again. -- here is Rob and again.

If you want to see the scale of our housing crisis, head over the bridge

to Wales and there you will meet people priced out of the West's

booming property market. Specialist heart nurse Joanne Dow used to live

in Bradley Stoke but rising rents forced to move back. As a public

sector worker, it was really hard to make ends meet, especially as a

parent with two children. Her monthly weren't went up ?200 in two

years and she downsized twice before giving up. She moved her job to a

hospital in Wales. I think it is wrong that the landlords just put

the rent up so much. If you did have to move because you could not afford

to stay where you are going, their houses go so quickly. People are not

actually viewing them, they are just taking them up straightaway. House

prices rose 10% in Bristol last year. Bath was not far behind. They

haven't built enough property for a very long time to satisfy demand and

what they may have built is not enough and not always in the right

locations or if it is in the right locations, not enough infrastructure

as well. But the housing has to go somewhere. The green fields around

Thornbury have caught the eye of developers but plans to double the

size of the town have angered residents. Developers feel they have

got the green light now to come here and they are circling like hyenas

around the lucrative plots and it is proper driven. The type of houses

being built here are speculative development largely sold under the

banner of three to five bedroom executive housing for commuter

traffic. This West Mayor will help decide how many homes we need and

where they go. But with limited Brownfield sites and plenty of green

belts, the winner faces an unenviable task. This is so

important to many of you and we had a lot of questions on housing from

our viewers and indeed, from the audience here. We had to pick one

and we came up with Mary Walsh. Hello. New homes are desperately

needed. I ask, will he ever is elected Mayor commit to protecting

our green belts and so protecting small villages around Bath and

Bristol? That is important to you. Yes it is. We shall we start with,

Aaron Foot from Ukip? As a farmer, I see how valuable green and open

spaces are. I will protect them, they need protective or mental

well-being and for why lie. It is there for us to enjoy, we should not

be putting concrete on them. But we have a housing crisis in the West

Country. I feel we should work together with all the leaders and

look at building upwards, not ours. We should also work with the people

of the West Country and find Brownfield sites and see where

developers are not building on them. Developers are

refusing to on Brownfield sites because it is too costly. We need to

work together as a group and work and put pressure on the developers.

John Savage. It is an obscenity that there are so many people who cannot

find somewhere to live and that is the basis for doing anything in your

life. It is a perfect example of the fact that for 30 years or more we

have not built on of houses. They are not blaming these guys. They

should not take it personally, they have been around for two or three

years, I have dealt with councillors were 30 years but it is an

obscenity, it is a basic need and I am

talking to developers who understand that there is this terrible

conundrum about building on grass and they are prepared to do

different deals. They are prepared to work with us to make changes. But

you would build on the green belt? I would build firstly wherever we

could find land that is easy to develop. In the end, we will have to

build on some grass, but the mistake I would not make is just building

houses. We have to build hold communities. We have to provide

doctors surgeries, libraries and play feels and so on and there is

talk about just building houses and that is wrong and it comes from a

complete lack of vision. Have you got any green belt in mind that

this? There are pieces of grass that we could build on, running

north-east and South West without actually building into the wetlands.

Let's face it, if you look at the map of Bristol in 1830 and see the

way it was built up and you look at it in 2000, it has changed and it

will go on changing because people come here. Tim Bowles. Do you agree

with John Savage that actually there is green land around and why do we

build on it? I agree with the question of what we have got to be

doing is actually protecting our villages, protecting our existing

communities. The answer as I see it is for our focus on the region,

working with our council leaders, is to be bringing those Brownfield

sites to market, working with developers, working with the council

leaders, developing a housing development fund that will actually

help us start speeding is up. What sort of target would you have with

the number of homes? The joint strategic plan is looking at 105,000

homes over the next 20 year period and that is what we would he looking

to. Obviously you will go to the Brownfield sites, you will go there

first, of course you would, but if it came to it, would you say that if

they field that would make a useful contribution to our housing needs?

We have to be building where the homes are going to be close to jobs,

close to communities, where we are able to build on that. Where we can

provide the infrastructure. On the green belt? The priority will be

developing the Brownfield. We have said that. Then we will work with

council leaders on identifying the other sites that we can bring to

market. Lesley Mansell, is the green belt

precious to you, or could it be used by people who need him? I live in a

village and the development I have seen around me is lots of houses but

not enough social housing. That's a real problem. Where building lots of

houses but quite often people are not living in them. If you look at

the harbour-side development down in Bristol, people in Malaysia,

business people there sought a great investment it was. But what we're

finding is people can't afford those properties. Prices are not so much

in this area that you need to have 12 times your earnings to be able to

afford one. APPLAUSE What would you do? I would look at

the rental sector. Putting caps on rent. They are going sky-high. What

we also find is the quality of renting property is quite poor in

some places. I would work with a developing agency, who are

developing a fair rental Charteris of people have a decent home to live

in. Not just one they can afford. -- rental charter. If you actually cap

rents, would that mean the supply of rented accommodation would go down?

I'm not sure it would in Bristol. We have a situation where over the last

15 years, the rate of home ownership has reduced to 52%. That's colossal.

There's a huge demand for rented accommodation. That's why you need

more. Absolutely, but we need more social housing as well. Over the

last year, Marvin Rees who was not yet been met for a year has already

committed to build council houses. We have seen that in Stroud were a

Labour council is building social housing. What we have not seen is

the Tories doing that all the Lib doing that. And on the green belt?

What we need to look at is the quality green belt, and then if we

do build on it, to build... To make sure we have something to appraise

that. So if necessary, you would, if it meant getting it housing the

element of the ground? There's another issue we saw in Radstock

weather was a developments, they came in, the builders were going to

do all sorts, as soon as they got planning applications they change

their minds. You'd want to make sure developers were held to what they

say they are going to do. APPLAUSE Stephen Williams. I think everyone

agrees there should be a presumption that you build on Brownfield land.

That in itself is an obvious political statement. How do you

develop that land, you develop it intensively. In some cities that

means high rises, in places such as bar. Where that might not be

suitable, but rather places such as Bath. In Bath? I'm saying, you

shouldn't build them in Bath. The Victorians got it right. That's why

you should use urban land. But the housing market at the moment, towns

like Thornbury feel a certain type of housing is being built. That does

not serve the local community. I would say, that the four members of

the command authority, this is a pure example of one all of us will

have to agree. Balanced and sustainable communities means single

bedroom units, two bedroom units. Families and single people can

aspire to live in their hometown. You also have got to get the

transport right. There is no point in expanding Thornbury or Yates, or

piece down St John, if people cannot get the bus along a 38 to get to

work in Bristol or elsewhere. We have got to plan holistically.

APPLAUSE I'm going to pursue as I did the

others. Would you build on the green belt? I don't think it is necessary,

as long as you build in towns and put infrastructure in the same place

at the same time. As I have said in my manifesto, in Thornbury there is

a freight railway line we should reopen. Darren Hall? I think we

actually need to change the conversation. With great respect to

my colleague, it's... Please answer the question! The thing is, the

question is about using the market to build more of the same. Executive

homes on the green belt that they can sell for half a million. We have

this slightly bizarre government idea that if we can reduce the price

of these things by 20%, it suddenly makes them affordable. That is not

affordable housing. The only way we are going to solve some of the

social housing crisis that we have is by building social housing. I'm

on the board of the community land trust, the way we make that

affordable is the shared ownership. We have to change the nature of this

conversation. We don't need to build on the green belt. I will say

another thing. What is great about the green belt campaign is coming

forward is that they have ideas for Brownfield sites that could work. I

spoke to the Hanham green belt group and said anyone can come up with an

idea. It's persuading people to have them on their own doorstep, isn't

it? It's about who you're asking to build the herbs. If you go to

developers say we would like you to build here, they will say no. I

really want to support what Marvin is doing a Bristol now. We will

build houses for ourselves. On our own land. Social housing, affordable

housing through community land trusts and housing associations. To

radically change the system. APPLAUSE

Last word with Aaron Foot. You say you want to prioritise social

housing or low-cost housing for local people. What does that mean?

Whose local? Local people who were priced out of villages, towns, even

Bristol and Bath. People from generations that cannot afford

houses. I wondered when I read that, does that mean no migrants? It

doesn't mean that. It means we should be looking after our people

that are born in our towns and Burgess first. We should be housing

them in flats, smaller houses. We should not be building a least three

and four beds. We need to restart the small housing scheme and held on

Brownfield sites. Time is flying. Leslie, one last word. In Bristol

there are 7000 planning applications gone through and nothing has

happened with them. In veins there are 4000. But Roker in Bains. There

have lots delay occurred been lots of applications but nothing

happening. You can't force developers? Its pricing people out.

I have already set out what I want to do, looking at capping rents to

make sure we build more social housing so people can have access to

it. Thank you. Our final question comes from Catherine. Hi. We hear a

lot in the media and from politicians about the Northern

powerhouse and the Midlands engine. Yet the West of England has got the

most successful economy anywhere outside of London in the UK. As the

first West of England Metro Mayor, what would you do to raise the

region 's profile and what would you call the region? What would you do

to raise the profile and what would you call our region? Who wants to go

first? All I will go for it. This is at the heart of one of the

most important roles of the mayor of the West of England, the vision and

strategy, over the horizon thinking that we need for this area. The

government are making it all about economic growth. Whereas I think one

of the most important aspects for asked to show leadership is to make

this region one of the most equal in the UK. In a more equal society,

everyone does better. But, I think the real opportunity in the West of

England to use our engineering expertise, our legal expertise, I

financial expertise, is to lead the world in the next generation of

smart urban living. I would like to see us being the gateway city, so

that's where I would start. APPLAUSE A reminder, all of the money coming

from the government is conditional on their being economic growth as a

result. So you would be prepared to promote economic growth? We know

that trickle-down doesn't work. We have to talk about... We have to

talk about prosperity. Meaning more than just profit and GDP. Otherwise,

we have got to get beyond that. That is one area where I think we have to

challenge the government and actually, the people of Bristol and

Bath agree with that. You have made that point. Just a three-day

weekend, would we get that? In the green manifesto. Productivity goes

up when we work less hard. John Savage? This is the point. We are in

competition with cities in Europe who may not be our friends very

soon. We are in competition with our own big cities and yet we have been

the most successful city region outside of London for donkeys years.

We still do not perform well enough. There is nothing wrong with profit.

Appropriate profit works, it pays for your pensions. But we have to

have an understanding of how we can make it work for everyone. I

absolutely believe that everybody should benefit. It is about the

economy. We have the best chance of improving the economy of a place in

the UK of any place here. And yet, we play at it. It is the answer. We

must push what we are good at and push it hard. So we have the best

chance of improving the economy of a place in the UK of any place here.

And yet, we play at it. It is the answer. We must push what we are

good at and push it hard. So we had to sell it into our own country and

into Europe and the world. It's called the west of England,

therefore the West of England. Can you think of something more snappy

than that? It's not the whole west and actually. Lots of the Westerman

and is not included in this. That's the conundrum. It's Greater Bristol

Bath, isn't it? My authorities in Manchester -- nine authorities in

Manchester got together and they are happy to call themselves greater

Manchester. They're getting on with the job. I think the title is not

the most important thing here. The most important thing is thinking

about what the Metro Mayor can do with the four local authorities. It

isn't just the ferry. There is some are set to consider as well. For me,

the big issue is to take this forward while we have to work

together. The electric need a clear choice here. Now we have an

opportunity to kick out these austerity policies, the once brought

in by the Conservative government, and backed up by the Lib Dems in

coalition. We have an opportunity to pick prosperity. That's what's

happened in Iceland and I think we can do that here as well. We have a

massive opportunity to do something different and I think that's what

I'm prepared to do. I'm not a career politician, and a person get things

done. That's what I will continue to do as much on there. One of the big

roles would be as an ambassador. See Donald Trump takes his ride in the

Golden carriage at the Moore and says I would like to visit the West

of England. Would you meet him? I would absolutely welcome him. When I

worked for Bristol City Council I wanted to welcome the President of

South Africa, Nelson Mandela. Unfortunately that did not happen

but I think I would have been fantastic for our black communities.

They are being paid 10% less than white people. But you would shake

his hand as an ambassador for the West of England? OK. Tim Bowles. My

approach for this role would be about being positive, looking to the

future and having to drive our economy forward. By doing that, we

would ensure we get the jobs to help everybody throughout the region. In

our very diverse economy, so we have lots of things we are really good

at. We have got to drive forward the Digital agenda, focus on our

high-tech engineering and aerospace hubs. We have got to focus on our

small businesses as well. I will make sure we are working on all of

those things, delivering that growth will help us then in terms of

attracting the extra funding but we all know we need to deliver the

transport improvements. As the only person here who is currently working

in a leadership role with the council, we have got to remember the

key thing to this is working with these guys here. I'm going to Bishoo

on the name. I've said all along, it has to be about working with the

council leaders. We'll sit down at that out ourselves. That's not very

snappy, working with the council leaders! We are a really strong

team. That's what I'll be promoting. We'll do that. Come on Stephen, give

us a name. The question is right. This region has been overshadowed

for far too long compared to other regions which are punched above

their weight because they worked together in order to promote their

local brand. I used to get fed up with ministerial colleagues in

government talking about Silicon roundabout, which is quite a small

place in East London. Could you know, the biggest concentration of

silicone and high-tech businesses outside California is here? Here in

Bristol, Bath and Swindon. That's why we need this position, to get us

working together. To have someone who can champion the West of England

and say this is what we are great at. To answer your question, Bristol

and Bath together, I think could be a powerful world beating brand.

Whether you go in the world, somebody has heard of Bristol Bath,

I want to bring them closer together. So that's part. Aaron

Foot, quickly. I want to bring in the northern powerhouse. But I would

look to put the name out to the people. I think the people of the

Westerman and you come up with some ideas of a name. And create a brand.

Then we can push forward with the West of England. You suggesting a

referendum? LAUGHTER I'm not sure we can stand it. No, I'm suggesting

democracy. We have technology, let's use it. Thank you all so much. I'm

afraid our time is up. My thanks to all our candidates and to our

audience here tonight. The debate continues online using our hashtag,

West Mare. You can find more information on our website. The West

Maverick is being held the same night as the local council election

-- the West Mare. If you miss out on the election, don't worry. There

will be another one along soon. For now, that's it from us, he at the

Bristol and Bath science Park. Thank you very much for watching. Sleep

well.