Bristol City Council is a unitary authority and ceremonial county in England. Originally formed on 1 April 1974 as a non-metropolitan district as a result of the Local Government Act 1972 (with initial elections taking place in 1973). It was envisaged that Bristol would share power with Avon County Council, an arrangement that lasted until 1996 when it was made into a unitary authority by the Local Government Commission for England, which abolished the county of Avon and gave Bristol City Council control of Avon Council's responsibilities.

From 2012 to 2024, Bristol had a directly elected Mayor, who acted as an executive branch separate from elected councillors.

Since the 1300s Bristol has been The City and County of Bristol and is in neither Somerset or Gloucester. For Admin it came under Avon which is not a county.

Elected mayors

The position of mayor of Bristol was created following the English mayoral referendum on 4 May 2012, in which Bristol was the only city to vote in favour of introducing an elected mayor. The first mayoral election was held in November, being won by George Ferguson.

YearPartyMayorMay 2016 – May 2024LabourMarvin ReesNovember 2012 – May 2016Independent (as Bristol 1st)George Ferguson

Council control From 2016 all councillors are elected every four years. Prior to that, a third of the councillors were elected every year.

A single party must occupy more than half of the councillor seats to have control. It is possible for a party to control the council without a majority, such as when Labour councillors dissolved their coalition with the Liberal Democrats in February 2009, leaving the Liberal Democrats to form a minority leadership.

YearControlling partyNotes2021–presentNo Overall Control Directly elected mayor - Labour2016–2021Labour Directly elected mayor - Labour2011–2016No Overall Control Directly elected mayor 2012-2016 - independent 2009–2011Liberal Democrats2003–2009No Overall Control1986–2003LabourCouncil changed to a unitary authority in 1995.1983–1986No Overall Control1973–1983Labour

Council composition

Year LabourConservativeLib DemsGreenUKIPIndependentNotes December 2023 23 14 5 25 3 Zoe Goodman (Filwood) resigned from Labour over its response to what she called "the genocide in Gaza", becoming an Independent councillor. February 2023 24 14 5 25 2 Green Party candidate Patrick McAllister wins the Hotwells and Harbourside by-election following the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Alex Hartley. December 2021 24 14 6 24 2 Chris Davies and Gary Hopkins (both Knowle) leave the Liberal Democrats and create the Knowle Community Party. May 2021 24 14 8 24 23 March 2021 35 14 9 12 Jo Sergeant (Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston) joins the Green Party. 12 March 2021 35 14 9 11 1 Jo Sergeant (Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston) resigns from the Labour Party. 26 September 2019 36 14 9 11 Tony Carey (Brislington East) joins the Liberal Democrats. 29 August 2019 36 14 8 11 1 Sultan Khan (Eastville) joins the Liberal Democrats. 17 July 2019 36 14 7 11 2 Tony Carey (Brislington East) resigns from the Conservative Party and sits as an independent. 22 March 2019 36 15 7 11 1 Sultan Khan (Eastville) resigns from the Labour Party and sits as an independent. 24 May 2018 37 15 7 11 Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze by-election. 1 November 2016 37 14 8 11 The Labour Party lifts the suspensions of Harriet Bradley (Brislington West) and Mike Langley (Brislington East). Hibaq Jama (Lawrence Hill) is also unsuspended at a later date. 19 September 2016 34 14 8 11 3 The Labour Party suspends Mike Langley (Brislington East) and Hibaq Jama (Lawrence Hill). 8 September 2016 36 14 8 11 1 The Labour Party suspends Harriet Bradley (Brislington West). May 2016 37 14 8 11 Ward boundaries changed.legislation.gov.uk – The Bristol (Electoral Changes) Order 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2016. 21 May 2015 30 16 9 14 1 Fi Hance (Redland) defected from the Liberal Democrats to the Green Party. 7 May 2015 30 16 10 13 1 March 2015 31 16 16 6 1 Jason Budd (Kingsweston), formerly independent, joined the Conservative Party. May 2014 31 15 16 6 1 1 May 2013 28 14 23 4 1 September 2011 22 14 32 2 Southmead by-election. May 2011 21 14 33 2 May 2010 17 14 38 1 May 2009 16 17 36 1 October 2008 24 13 32 1 St George West by-election triggered due to the death of one of the sitting councillors. May 2007 25 13 31 1 May 2006 23 13 33 1 May 2005 27 11 32 May 2004 31 11 28 Lawrence Hill by-election. May 2003 31 11 28 May 2002 36 10 24 June 2001 40 9 21 October 2000 36 10 24 Southville by-election. February 2000 36 10 24 Lockleaze by-election. May 1999 37 10 23 Ward boundaries changed. Number of seats available increased from 68 to 70.legislation.gov.uk – The City of Bristol (Electoral Changes) Order 1998. Retrieved 4 October 2015. June 1998 45 6 17 Ashley by-election. May 1998 46 6 16 March 1998 50 5 13 Cabot by-election. June 1997 50 5 13 Brislington West by-election. May 1997 51 5 12 May 1995 53 6 9Council changed from a non-metropolitan district to a unitary authority. May 1994 41 19 8 May 1992 40 22 6 May 1991 45 18 5 May 1990 43 21 4 May 1988 39 24 5 May 1987 37 25 6 May 1986 35 26 7 May 1984 33 29 6City boundaries were changed but the number of seats stayed the same.The Bristol, Wansdyke and Woodspring (Areas) Order 1984 May 1983 30 32 6Ward boundaries changed. Number of seats available decreased from 84 to 68.The City of Bristol (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1980 May 1979 53 28 3 May 1976 47 34 3 June 1973 56 25 3Formation of the Bristol non-metropolitan district, with 84 available seats.

Council election result maps

See also Bristol City Council Bristol City Council elections Politics of Bristol

References