Mary Page, Helen Godwin, and Steve Smith have now all been confirmed as candidates for the upcoming West of England Combined Authority (WECA) Mayoral election, representing the Green Party, Labour Party, and Conservative Party respectively. The election, scheduled for May 1 2025 will determine the next regional mayor, following the decision of current Labour WECA Mayor Dan Norris not to seek re-election.
By Josie Hodgson, News Co-Editor
The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) oversees governance across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset, managing key issues such as planning, transport, and housing.
Mary Page, a specialist in Media, Comms, PR and Marketing, has now entered the race for this position, after Heather Mack, Deputy Leader of Bristol City Council, stepped down to focus on her council responsibilities. This announcement follows the Labour Party’s selection of Helen Godwin, and the Conservatives' selection of candidate Steve Smith, at the end of last year.
In her announcement, Page expressed gratitude to Mack for her contributions to the campaign, and outlined her vision for the region, outlining her focus on housing, jobs and transport:
“We need housing that builds rather than breaks communities, opportunities to train and upskill for permanent, quality jobs, and sustainable transport for both cities and rural areas. The Green Party is committed to those things, and that’s why I am so delighted to be representing us in this campaign.”
Page has previously run as a Green Party candidate in the Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston ward in the May 2024 city council elections and finished second in the Bristol North West constituency during the July 2024 General Election. She led the “It’s Our City Bristol” campaign, which played a key role in the 2022 referendum that abolished the directly elected Bristol mayoral system. Page has stated that her priorities include sustainable transport, quality job opportunities, and community-focused housing development.
Helen Godwin, Labour’s candidate, has a background in local government, having served as a cabinet member on Bristol City Council. She has worked on policies addressing affordable housing, sustainability, and social inequality. Her campaign focuses on investment in public services, transport infrastructure, and economic growth that benefits all communities. Godwin has highlighted the need for continuity in leadership and aims to build on Labour’s existing policies at the regional level.
Her selection follows party rules preventing dual mandates, which led to the decision by current Labour Mayor Dan Norris to step aside after his recent election as North East Somerset and Hanham MP.
Godwin has played a key role in supporting initiatives aimed at improving affordable housing, promoting sustainable development, and addressing issues of inequality. As Labour’s candidate, Godwin will be advocating for continued investment into public services and infrastructure across the West of England.
Another candidate in the race is Steve Smith, representing the Conservative Party. The first official nominee to be announced, back in November 2024, he has pledged to “undo the damage” to WECA’s reputation under the leadership of Labour's Dan Norris.
Smith's campaign focuses upon enhancing connectivity, supporting businesses, and promoting regional investments for sustainable economic growth. Smith has pledged to restore "grown-up leadership" to the combined authority, and stimulate economic development across the region.
As a councillor, Smith has served on the WECA scrutiny committee and chaired the city council’s health overview and scrutiny committee. He also held the role of Lord Mayor of Bristol from 2021 to 2022.
As of January 14 2025, the Liberal Democrats have not yet announced their candidate. The party has previously fielded candidates in the 2021 election, where Stephen Williams represented them.
The 2021 WECA mayoral election saw Labour secure victory with 33% of the vote, followed by the Conservatives at 29% and the Green Party at 22%. With voter turnout averaging just 33.16%, the upcoming election will serve as a crucial barometer of public sentiment, leadership confidence, and campaign effectiveness. As regional governance remains under scrutiny, this election offers voters the chance to shape the direction of the West of England for the years ahead.
However, questions remain about how effectively the authority is being run, as independent auditors have highlighted concerns regarding governance and its ability to deliver value for money (VfM). While the combined authority has taken steps to address these issues, they are likely to play a role in the election debate.
To find out more about this election and how it works, visit: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/west-england-combined-authority-weca-elections.
