Green Leadership in Bristol Praised in Independent Review

• A politically independent report from the Local Government Association has found that driven by ‘effective leadership from the Leader’, Bristol’s committee system ‘is in robust health’ and despite being only two years old, is ‘showing signs of maturity’
• It found that the council is evolving and has made significant progress in laying the foundations to meet the future needs of Bristol
• The report also praises ‘recent improvements in internal culture’ at the Council, reflecting an upward trend in staff satisfaction, notably, this is since the Green party took on leadership from the previous Labour administration.
• It notes Bristol’s ‘palpable sense of ambition for the future’, and makes several recommendations of areas to improve
• The findings reinforce Green commitment to prioritise work that delivers equitable outcomes where the impact will be greatest

Bristol’s Green leadership has been praised in a new report from the Local Government Association.

Over four days in January, made up of senior councillors from different political parties and officers from Councils across the country spoke to hundreds of council staff, Councillors, external partners and citizens to assess Bristol’s performance, governance and financial resilience.

Their independent report, known as a Corporate Peer Challenge, has now been published by the council.

They found that despite consistent attempts to undermine it from Labour both nationally and locally, Bristol’s committee system ‘is in robust health’ and ‘showing signs of maturity’ just two years after it was introduced.

The report has also praised the leadership of Leader of the Council, Tony Dyer, and the new Chief Executive, for leading with ‘purpose and authenticity, with a clear commitment to build on the city’s strong history of activism, diversity and community engagement.’

Cllr Heather Mack, Deputy Leader of the Council, said “I am delighted that the hard work we have put in over the last few years has been recognised. It is true that Greens have not run council of this size before, but this glowing report shows our group, especially the senior politicians in this administration are effective, expert and lead with integrity.

“I would also like to thank each and every officer at the council who not only contributed to this review, but also works hard every day to make sure Bristol City Council is reaching its potential.

“When Greens began to lead the council in 2024, we said that we would get the basics right and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Driven by our clear political leadership and vision for the city, we now have in place a committed senior team that has helped to improve the internal work culture and put our finances on sustainable footing. “Over two balanced budgets we have also invested in core service areas like our council housing that had been long neglected. We’ve made a tangible difference to adults and children’s services, ensuring those in the city who most need our help get the support they deserve.

“My Green colleagues and I will continue to work hard for all of Bristol and to make sure that all our work delivers the most equitable outcome where the impact will be the greatest.”

Green Group Leader Cllr Emma Edwards said, “I am delighted that the corporate peer review now provides solid evidence that Bristol City Council’s committee system is working well and that our hard work has paid off. The Government has also backtracked on their plans to remove it, and it looks like we will be able to keep our current system, as decided by the people of Bristol.

“Committees allow more councillors a seat at the decision-making table, more voices from the public to be heard and have not slowed down decision-making. I hope the other parties realise the opportunity they have for more cross party collaborative working to get the best outcomes for Bristol.”

The report notes several areas for improvement, including; ensuring the committee system continues to mature, prioritising action to deliver equitable outcomes, continuing to drive cultural change, maintaining focus on financial transparency, and accelerating progress towards becoming a fully data and insight driven council.

The Green leadership are committed to taking these on board and a detailed action plan will be published in a few months.

The findings are in stark contrast to the previous peer challenge report, published in 2018, two years into the previous Labour administration, which noted that the council had ‘a leadership challenge in relation to its own workforce’, and noted the high churn rate of senior officers.

Under the Greens the report now states there have been ‘recent improvements in internal culture’ at the Council, reflecting an upward trend in staff satisfaction.

Notes for editors 

• LGA Corporate Peer Challenge 2026 – full report – LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Final Report
• Bristol City Council Press Release – New report highlights Bristol City Council’s progress and ambition
• LGA Corporate Peer Challenge 2018 – democracy.bristol.gov.uk/documents/s41846/Appendix A2 LGA CPC Feedback Report November 2018 2.pdf
• Staff Survey of Bristol City Council employees 2025 –  67% of answers were positive, up from 65% in 2024 – PowerPoint Presentation.