18/11/2012 Sunday Politics West

And in the west - a new dawn for west country politics. But the

turnout in the police elections was pitiful - what does that mean for

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2383 seconds

how they do the job? That's in 40 Thanks Andrew - you join us live

this lovely morning for the Sunday Politics in the west. Bristol has a

new mayor and the police forces have new commissioners. But these

images taken at a polling station in Gloucestershire summed up

election day - where did all the voters go?

I'm delighted to say that I am joined by the new Mayor of Bristol,

George Ferguson. And the new police and crime commissioner for Avon and

Somerset, Sue Mountstevens. Welcome to you both. George, has it sunk in

yet? Yes, it has. I feel deeply honoured that the people of Bristol

have entrusted me. It is a huge responsibility. Tomorrow morning I

will be starting. I will start the steadily, I will get into what the

true situation is, in terms of the Budget and everything else. And I

will start thinking about putting the Cabinet together.

Mountstevens, you told me on Friday you were shocked. Are you still

shocked? I am getting used to the idea. People have put their trust

in me and I now have to deliver. I won the job to start as soon as

possible so the residents can see a difference.

The election day in Bristol was full of drama - on paper, the

Labour candidate Marvyn Rees should have walked it. But in the end it

was the independent - George - who will go down in local government

history. He will be sworn in tomorrow, then it is just the small

matter of selecting a cabinet from councillors who represent the

parties he defeated, pushing through budget cuts, and

transforming the city. In a moment, I will be asking him how he's going

to do it - but first, Paul Barltrop It's six months since he was the

first candidate to come forward. George Ferguson had assembled an

army of volunteers, taken on the political establishment and won.

Sweet victory for the independent, bitter disappointment for Labour,

who had put big resources behind their candidate Marvin Rees. All

sides are now contemplating what comes next. The new man in charge

here faces formidable challenges. Financially, there's a hole in the

budget, within weeks the mayor has got to find �28 million of savings,

but the more immediate task is to form a cabinet of councillors. No

political party is excluded, and this weekend the discussions and

deliberations are already underway. Liberal Democrats emerging after a

four hour meeting yesterday - they're happy to work for the mayor.

After all, until recently, he was a member of their party. We want to

Halpin do that well. We are in it for the future of the city and the

residents of Bristol. -- help him. Tomorrow, his time as Bristol's

last council leader ends. He thinks the new mayor won't be as big a

change as many believe. He has no more power and few resources. It is

no use people expecting miracles overnight. I don't think that is on

offer. He'd like all parties to co- operate. But that's harder for the

Conservatives' defeated candidate Geoff Gollop. He has talked

critically of excessive spin being used by George Ferguson. Anyone who

thinks they can solve all these problems is falling the people

because it is not possible. So how someone is best to work with that

is an issue that is yet to be resolved. One has to have an open

mind in politics, and I do. For Labour, whose hopes had been so

high, defeat hurts. One activist said they were gutted. They may

choose to spurn the new mayor's advances - and possibly reap

rewards at next May's council elections.

Joining the debate are two local politicians. Peter Abraham is the

Conservative group leader in Bristol and Thangam Debbonaire, who

is the Labour candidate for Bristol West. But first, let's hear from

the Mayor. Should I call you the mayor? From 2pm tomorrow I will be

the mayor, yes. What will you do in your first 100 days? I think we

have to change the mood. We need to look at what can be done within the

very difficult economic circumstances that I am presented

with. And we need to make sure that whatever is done it protects the

most vulnerable. That has to have absolute priority. I think we have

to change the mood about people's perception of the government in

crystal -- Bristol. I think people are cynical and that has been shown

in the way people don't vote in elections. I want to make everybody

feel they are part of the governance of this city. We need to

open up the council house and truly get into the communities, we need

to have a much greater understanding of the needs of the

Community's, and we have to share the Government's -- governance of

the area. -- needs of the communities. If you look at your

leaflets, you are the champion of this and a supporter of that, but

there is no detail. You are not looking at the detailed document. I

carefully did not give promises about numbers. I think chasing

numbers is a silly game. You know, the number of houses or the amount

that you pay to go on the bus. Those are the sort of cynical

political promises that come out of party manifestos. Can I give you

one number you will have to grapple with? �28 million in cuts in the

next six weeks. It is time to tell us what you're going to do. I shall

be telling you what I will do when I have dug down into this figures

and I can see where the spending is, where it has to be prioritised. I

cannot do that because it's -- before I go into office, and it

would be silly to go and say that. When I became president of the are

BAe in 2003, that first meeting I had was a shock about the hole in

the finance -- final salary pension scheme. -- president of the RBA. It

has 40,000 members, it is a serious national organisation. And the same

principles apply. I then had to look at how we make best use of the

barns. -- funds. You like being popular, there is no doubt about

that. You're going to be sworn in on Monday and possibly sworn at on

Tuesday. I've had people swear at me and then sell meat during the

selection. Indicating that I am some sort of sleaze back. -- and

insults me during this election. All I know is that I am here to

serve the people of Bristol. Peter, you are a seasoned political

operator. What do you think will happen when he takes office? When

the spin, if you'll forgive me, has to stop and he gets down to it,

what will happen? Let's be clear, you talked about the deficit will

need to find. Work is under way with that and has been for some

while. So I thought will not have a blank sheet of paper. -- George

will not have. My job is to support and to get the best possible deal

for the people of Bristol. What I learnt on Thursday is that people

are fed up to the back teeth with as arguing amounts ourselves. I

hope it we can sit down... So you would serve in his cabinet if he

asked you to? Are not looking for a job. I want to serve. I've always

worked for Bristol. That I will continue to do. This weekend, I

checked with my group because I won the strength of that, that they

want to work with him as well, totally. So what has been said in

the heat of the moment is just not the case. We want to work together

and get this Budget, which is our first priority, a right. Thangam

Debbonaire, Kenny believe that George one? -- can you believe that

George won? I can believe he won, he is a great candidate. We were

disappointed that our candidate did not win. I think there are many

reasons. I spoke to Labour supporters recently, and some of

them were not convinced that Bristol should have a mayor. Yes,

there was a referendum, but there was quite a low turnout. At think

that is something to be concerned about. On paper, Labour should have

won. If you add up the votes they councils get, it is a Labour city.

George, he has said he will serve with you. Labour, will you? Just

like the Conservatives, the Labour group will be discussing this. This

is not something that I can make up. Certainly, the leader of the Labour

group will be talking to all the Labour councillors over the next

few days. But the trouble is at the moment we were -- don't know quite

what it is George once. -- wants. Have you been making phone calls

about who you will have on your Cabinet this weekend? I will look

at that over the following week. I will talk to all parties and some

individuals within those parties. That doesn't allow us anything!

Well, it does tell you that this needs to be properly considered and

it has to have due deference to the individuals and the party's. -- the

parties. George Ferguson's victory in

Bristol set a trend for independents. Apart from Wiltshire,

they won all the local police elections in the west. The turnout

was terrible, but Sue Mountstevens here slammed the Tory favourite to

win and got the biggest vote in the country. Let's look at some of the

I will listen to all residents, especially the quiet voices.

Understand their needs and help shape police priorities across the

The people of Dorset have spoken loud and clear. Party politics in

We've worked hard over the last couple of months in the county,

trying to tell people what this I've never stood for office before

so I don't know the protocol. I will stay independent, I promise

you that. I will represent all those who voted for me and another

candidate and all those who even felt the need to spoil their ballot

papers. Well, Sue Mountstevens has joined us for a bit of questioning.

Well done again. But do you consider that you have a strong

mandate? When you applied for a job, nobody asks you about the process.

I think a government have to think about the process. But at the end

of the day, I got 125,000 votes. The that's first and second

preference. Yes, and I have now got the job, and it is now up to me to

improve the morale of the police, to increase confidence. How do you

propose to do that? I think now I can be the voice of the residents,

so I will make sure that voice is heard at every level of policing

decisions. So, in practical terms, you know what the residents will

say. You were been campaigning for a couple of months. What will he be

telling the chief constable when you get sworn in? I will be working

with him. I won't tell them. But together, we want to make all our

residents feel safe. So we will look at the priorities are set out

- anti-social behaviour, burglary and violent offences against women

and girls. That is what we will prioritise. He may well tie you

that those are already his priorities. -- tell you. Well, we

will write a plan together. Do you think that these PCCs are a good

idea? There's been contempt for the process. The number of people who

spoilt their ballots. A I think there was a clear message on the

residents saying they did not want party politics in any way shape or

form involved in policing. That is what I will deliver. Politicians

are not going to get in the way of me listening to residents, speaking

to the police and working together. The chief constables, not

necessarily with you, but in other areas, could well say that these

people had barely got any mandate. It is up to you to speak to other

bins. I can only speak to myself. - - to other PCCs. Thangam Debbonaire,

is this a good idea? Were all, it is an idea that David Cameron

brought in. It is a shame that he bought it in and then did not get

behind it. This was a flagship element of his big society plan. I

think it's as a lock the people won't convinced by an -- I think it

says a lot that people were not convinced by it, including David

Cameron! People at my polling station were saying that they had

not heard of the candidates. People without the internet and were at a

disadvantage. Or could it be that people are relatively happy with

the police and see no great desire for change? If people were unhappy

with the police, thousands would have been out there. I think you

are absolutely right. The role of the police and crime commission or

is wider than the previous police authority. Peter, it was a

devastating defeat in your area for your man. Again, as he was the

clear favourite and yet people rejected party politics right

across the board. Except in Wiltshire. I feel quite strongly,

and I support the police commissioner, I thought it was a

good idea. I still do not today no re the chairman of the police

authority was. I've met Sue Mountstevens, I know her. I think

that is very important. There is a need for the public to be

represented. I 100% support the police, I think they do a

marvellous job, but there is a level where we need somebody like a

police authority, now a commissioner, to be able act for us.

What I'm critical of is not the decision of the police and crime

commission at, but the advisers to the government had thought you

could cover an area like Avon and Somerset without any financial help.

-- commissioner. Even the party machines struggle. I think that is

ridiculous. Where were the advisers, the electoral commissioners are

saying to the government, this is not on? You are right, the

residents were very angry. The a have a lot answer for, I think. --

they have. You are now probably the most influential politicians in the

West Country. I suppose we are. I know we will work well together. I

was voting -- rooting for her, because I felt strongly that we

should have an independent bin. -- PCC.

We did ask the new commissioners for Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

to come in today, but they didn't get back to us. Let's take a spin

through the other political stories making the headlines this week in

our 60 second roundup. David Cameron and 26 members of his

coalition cabinet held their weekly meeting in a school near Bristol

this week. The Prime Minister was quizzed by pupils at John Cabot

Academy - so did he get top marks? I've never really taken much

interest in politics before, but after meeting the Prime Minister, I

think it is something I should be more interested in.

The west's smallest local authority is on the brink of bankruptcy -

losing �100,000 a year. The Conseravtive leader of West

Somerset says it is not due to incompetence, but the rural nature

of the area. If it goes bust, it would be the first council to go

under ever. We're not getting the income that are people deserved.

And when budgets were cut for youth clubs in Somerset, some feared they

would all close. But the local community have rallied around and

the good news is most have stayed Of course, it was dominated by-

elections. George, this is the start of a new life for you. Any

chance of new trousers, or...? be different shades, but the same

colour! Will you change? Nothing will change me. I am what I am, I

am now the servant of people of Bristol. Will you get a car, horses

and it carried? And no, you are getting a confused with a different

sort of mayor! And what you have to swear on Wednesday, remind us?

is an oath of impartiality, and that I'm there to represent all

voices, every Biddy, whether they voted for me or didn't vote.

That's all we've got time for today. Thank you to all of our guests. The