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BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Funding will not build Bristol and Bath tram 'overnight', mayor says
Trams could make a return to Bristol and Bath with the announcement hundreds of millions of pounds of new transport funding. The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is to spend some of a new £750m funding allocation on looking at mass transit - most of which will be spent on improving bus and local rail award was part of £15.6bn transport funding announced by the while newly-elector mayor Helen Godwin welcomed the funding, £200m of which would be spent on developing mass transit, she made it clear it would not buy a new tram system "overnight". The money covers a five-year period from West of England is getting the lowest funding of any city region – partly because its population is smaller than most."That money is not going to buy us a tram network overnight, we've got to be clear about that," Ms Godwin said. "That money can give us a much-improved bus network," she added. "We can also start to move on our suburban rail network." Ms Godwin was elected Metro Mayor on 1 May, bringing to an end the troubled tenure of Dan his four years in charge WECA was put into special measures after a series of public rows with council the disagreements was over the possibility of an underground idea is not now being talked Ms Godwin stresses her wish for good relations with local councils, including North Somerset which is likely to eventually join WECA. She will work with them on one particular priority – improving links to the airport."We have got an airport which is the only one in the country which isn't connected by mass transit of any form," she said. "So it would be remiss for us not to be looking at that."The new money is not enough to fund that but the hope is that it could pave the way.
ITV News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
New Labour West of England Mayor hails 'new chapter for the West' after 'challenging' legacy
Labour's new Mayor of the West of England has met staff at the combined authority and declared "a new chapter for the West", after a "challenging" period that saw the previous administration put into special measures. Helen Godwin beat Reform UK by almost 6,000 votes to hold onto the West of England Combined Authority, which was until recently under the control of now suspended Labour politician, Dan Norris. Ms Godwin promised staff that "her door is always open" and promised to be "visible and accessible". It's a move to distance herself from the previous mayor, who was accused in an independent report of not being present in the combined authority offices. Claims of being an 'absentee landlord mayor' - made by a local councillor - came alongside reports of political division with council leaders, which was seen to have an impact on effective decision-making. Ms Godwin is said to have "acknowledged recent challenging history" in the meeting on Wednesday, 14 May, and said she's had a "positive start with local council leaders in Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire." She talked about the need to get young people into tens of thousands of new jobs that hope to be coming to the WECA region as a result of investment at Bristol Temple Quarter and Brabazon. Perhaps in a message to the region's Green voters, the new Mayor also spoke of the need to deliver economic growth while preserving and restoring nature. "At the start of a new chapter for the West of England, I was delighted to meet with staff at the Mayoral Combined Authority this afternoon," Ms Godwin said. "Just over a week after taking office, and having met with government ministers, investors, and First Bus, I wanted to hear from officers and continue to hit the ground running. My door will always be open. "Working with local councils, it's time to show people across the West of England what we can really do – so that people in Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire, can see, feel, and trust the difference that we'll make together.' During the campaign period for May's local elections, Dan Norris was arrested on suspicion of child sex offences and rape. Norris, who is also the MP for North East Somerset and Hanham, was quickly suspended by the Labour Party and barred from the West of England Combined Authority offices.
The Independent
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Local elections 2025: The times when results will be announced in your area
Voters across England head to the polls on May 1, 2025 to elect new councillors and mayors in local elections. Over 1,600 council seats are contested across 23 local authorities, alongside elections for four regional mayors and two local mayors. A parliamentary by-election will also occur in Runcorn & Helsby. While polls close at 10pm, most councils will begin counting the next day. A few key declarations are expected overnight, with the majority of the results emerging throughout May 2. These elections hold significant implications for the major political parties, offering a snapshot of public sentiment ahead of the next general election. Here are the key times: 10pm, Thursday May 1 Polling stations close. Counting begins in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election and in four of the six mayoral contests: Doncaster, Greater Lincolnshire, North Tyneside and West of England. Only one of the 23 local authorities holding elections, Northumberland, is due to count and declare overnight. 2am, Friday May 2 Results are due around this time for two of the mayoral contests. North Tyneside is one of Labour 's north-east heartlands and the party's candidate Karen Clark is favourite to win, though a low turnout may mean the result is closer than expected. The West of England mayor could be a tight race between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens; Labour 's chances may be affected by the current mayor, Dan Norris, being suspended from the party after he was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences. 3am Counting should be over in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election, which was triggered by the resignation of the previous MP Mike Amesbury after he was given a suspended prison sentence for punching a man in a street in Frodsham, Cheshire. Mr Amesbury won the seat for Labour at the 2024 general election with a majority of 14,696 – one of the 50 largest majorities achieved by Sir Keir Starmer's party – and took 53% of the vote, with Reform in second place on 18%, followed by the Conservatives (16%), the Greens (6%) and the Liberal Democrats (5%). The result this time is expected to be much closer, with Reform hoping to pull off a shock win. 3.30am Greater Lincolnshire is one of two new mayoral positions being contested for the first time and is likely to be a two-horse race between the Conservatives and Reform. The Tories have picked the leader of North Lincolnshire council Rob Waltham, while the Reform candidate is former Tory MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns. The result of the Doncaster mayoral election is due, with Labour's Ros Jones hoping for a fourth term in office. 7am A full set of council results should be in for Northumberland, which is currently run by a Conservative minority administration. Labour is the main opposition and will hope to improve its standing, though Reform and independent candidates could also make gains, ensuring the council remains in no overall control. 9am Counting will begin around this time for the remaining two mayoral contests in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and Hull & East Yorkshire, along with 22 of the 23 local authorities. 1pm The full result is due from Durham, where Labour is currently the largest party but does not have a majority and has been shut out of power for the past four years by a multi-party coalition that includes the Tories, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and various independents. Labour will hope to regain full control, but is facing an added challenge this time from Reform. 1.45pm The Tories could see their tiny majority vanish in Lancashire, where Labour, Reform and independent candidates are all hoping to make advances. 2.30pm The result is due for the new Hull & East Yorkshire mayor. The Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems all enjoy support in different parts of this region, while Reform has picked the former boxer and Olympic medallist Luke Campbell as its candidate. 3pm The pace begins to pick up with three councils due to finish declaring. Doncaster is the only local authority Labour is defending at these elections, but the party faces a big threat from Reform, which is treating the council as a top target. The Tories are likely to see their numbers cut in both Buckinghamshire and Leicestershire, but could well remain the largest party on both councils. The result is also due for the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough mayor, which was won by Labour's Nik Johnson in 2021 but he is not standing this time, and where both the Tories and Lib Dems fancy their chances. 4pm The losses could start to mount for the Conservatives. The Lib Dems are hoping to replace the Tories as the largest party in Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire and could make major gains on both councils. In Shropshire the Conservatives may lose power thanks to a challenge from the Lib Dems, Labour and smaller parties, though they could hang on in Staffordshire where they have a large majority. 4.30pm Labour did well in the county of Derbyshire at the general election and is hoping to pick up seats on the council this year. With the Lib Dems and Reform also eyeing gains, the Tories may lose overall control. 5pm A string of results could bring more gloom for the Conservatives. Reform is threatening to eat into the Tories' large presence in Lincolnshire and North Northamptonshire, while the Conservatives' tiny majority in Nottinghamshire is likely to evaporate in the face of challenges from Reform, Labour and local independents. The Lib Dems hope to chip away at the Tory numbers in Warwickshire and do well enough in Oxfordshire to take majority control. In Worcestershire, the story could be one of multiple parties gaining at the Conservatives' expense, particularly the Greens and Reform. 6pm More Tory losses may come in Cornwall, where the party has minority control of the council but faces twin threats from the Liberal Democrats and independents. The Lib Dems are also hoping to wipe out the Conservatives' majority in Devon and make gains at the Tories' expense in Wiltshire. In Cambridgeshire, the Lib Dems are currently the largest party but do not have a majority and will be keen to improve their position. The final results are due from Kent and West Northamptonshire: two councils where the Tories currently have a majority but where they face challenges from more than one party. Reform and Labour are hoping to advance in both areas, while Kent could see gains for the Lib Dems, Greens and independent candidates.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local elections 2025: Hour-by-hour guide to results
When polls close in England at 10pm on Thursday, most councils will not begin counting the results of the local and mayoral elections until the following day – though a handful of key declarations are due overnight. A total of 1,641 council seats are up for grabs across 23 local authorities, while four regional mayors and two local mayors will be elected. A parliamentary by-election is also taking place to choose a new MP for the constituency of Runcorn & Helsby. Here the PA news agency looks at when to expect the results and what they could mean for the political parties. All declaration times are estimates. – 10pm, Thursday May 1 Polling stations close. Counting begins in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election and in four of the six mayoral contests: Doncaster, Greater Lincolnshire, North Tyneside and West of England. Four of the 23 local authorities holding elections will start counting: Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Staffordshire. Only one, Northumberland, is due to report all its results overnight; the other three will announce some results overnight, with the rest of the seats being declared later on Friday. – 2am, Friday May 2 Results are due around this time for two of the mayoral contests. North Tyneside is one of Labour's north-east heartlands and the party's candidate Karen Clark is favourite to win, though a low turnout may mean the result is closer than expected. The West of England mayor could be a tight race between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens; Labour's chances may be affected by the outgoing mayor, Dan Norris, being suspended from the party after he was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences. – 3am Counting should be over in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election, which was triggered by the resignation of the previous MP, Mike Amesbury, after he was given a suspended prison sentence for punching a man in a street in Frodsham, Cheshire. Mr Amesbury won the seat for Labour at the 2024 general election with a majority of 14,696 – one of the 50 largest majorities achieved by Sir Keir Starmer's party – and took 53% of the vote, with Reform in second place on 18%, followed by the Conservatives (16%), the Greens (6%) and the Liberal Democrats (5%). The result this time is expected to be much closer, with Reform hoping to pull off a shock win. – 3.30am Greater Lincolnshire is one of two new mayoral positions being contested for the first time and is likely to be a two-horse race between the Conservatives and Reform. The Tories have picked the leader of North Lincolnshire council Rob Waltham, while the Reform candidate is former Tory MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns. – 5am The result of the Doncaster mayoral election is due, with Labour's Ros Jones hoping for a fourth term in office. – 7am A full set of council results should be in for Northumberland, which is currently run by a Conservative minority administration. Labour is the main opposition and will hope to improve its standing, though Reform and independent candidates could also make gains, ensuring the council remains in no overall control. – 9am Ballot papers will start to be counted around this time for the remaining two mayoral contests in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and Hull & East Yorkshire. Counting will also get under way in those local authorities that did not begin on Thursday night. – 1pm The full result is due for Durham council, where Labour is currently the largest party but does not have a majority and has been shut out of power for the past four years by a multi-party coalition that includes the Tories, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and various independents. Labour will hope to regain full control, but is facing an added challenge this time from Reform. – 1.45pm The Tories could see their tiny majority vanish in Lancashire, where Labour, Reform and independent candidates are all hoping to make advances. – 2.30pm The result is due for the new Hull & East Yorkshire mayor. The Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems all enjoy support in different parts of this region, while Reform has picked former boxer and Olympic medallist Luke Campbell as its candidate. – 3pm The pace begins to pick up with three councils due to finish declaring. Doncaster is the only local authority Labour is defending at these elections, but the party faces a big threat from Reform, which is treating the council as a top target. The Tories are likely to see their numbers cut in both Buckinghamshire and Leicestershire, but could well remain the largest party on both councils. The result is also due for the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough mayor, which was won by Labour's Nik Johnson in 2021 but he is not standing this time, and where both the Tories and Lib Dems fancy their chances. – 4pm The losses could start to mount for the Conservatives. The Lib Dems are hoping to replace the Tories as the largest party in Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire and could make major gains on both councils. In Shropshire the Conservatives may lose power thanks to a challenge from the Lib Dems, Labour and smaller parties, though they could hang on in Staffordshire where they have a large majority. – 4.30pm Labour did well in the county of Derbyshire at the general election and is hoping to pick up seats on the council this year. With the Lib Dems and Reform also eyeing gains, the Tories may lose overall control. – 5pm A string of results could bring more gloom for the Conservatives. Reform is threatening to eat into the Tories' large presence in Lincolnshire and North Northamptonshire, while the Conservatives' tiny majority in Nottinghamshire is likely to evaporate in the face of challenges from Reform, Labour and local independents. The Lib Dems hope to chip away at the Tory numbers in Warwickshire and do well enough in Oxfordshire to take majority control. In Worcestershire, the story could be one of multiple parties gaining at the Conservatives' expense, particularly the Greens and Reform. – 6pm More Tory losses may come in Cornwall, where the party has minority control of the council but faces twin threats from the Liberal Democrats and independents. The Lib Dems are also hoping to wipe out the Conservatives' majority in Devon and make gains at the Tories' expense in Wiltshire. In Cambridgeshire, the Lib Dems are currently the largest party but do not have a majority and will be keen to improve their position. – 7pm The final results are due from Kent and West Northamptonshire: two councils where the Tories currently have a majority but where they face challenges from more than one party. Reform and Labour are hoping to advance in both areas, while Kent could see gains for the Lib Dems, Greens and independent candidates.
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Local elections 2025: When will results be announced? An hour-by-hour guide
Voters across England will head to the polls on May 1, 2025 to elect new councillors and mayors in local elections. Over 1,600 council seats are contested across 23 local authorities, alongside elections for four regional mayors and two local mayors. A parliamentary by-election will also occur in Runcorn & Helsby. While polls close at 10pm, most councils will begin counting the next day. A few key declarations are expected overnight, with the majority of results emerging throughout May 2. These elections hold significant implications for the major political parties, offering a snapshot of public sentiment ahead of the next general election. Here are the key times: 10pm, Thursday May 1 Polling stations close. Counting begins in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election and in four of the six mayoral contests: Doncaster, Greater Lincolnshire, North Tyneside and West of England. Only one of the 23 local authorities holding elections, Northumberland, is due to count and declare overnight. 2am, Friday May 2 Results are due around this time for two of the mayoral contests. North Tyneside is one of Labour 's north-east heartlands and the party's candidate Karen Clark is favourite to win, though a low turnout may mean the result is closer than expected. The West of England mayor could be a tight race between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens; Labour's chances may be affected by the current mayor, Dan Norris, being suspended from the party after he was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences. 3am Counting should be over in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election, which was triggered by the resignation of the previous MP Mike Amesbury after he was given a suspended prison sentence for punching a man in a street in Frodsham, Cheshire. Mr Amesbury won the seat for Labour at the 2024 general election with a majority of 14,696 – one of the 50 largest majorities achieved by Sir Keir Starmer's party – and took 53% of the vote, with Reform in second place on 18%, followed by the Conservatives (16%), the Greens (6%) and the Liberal Democrats (5%). The result this time is expected to be much closer, with Reform hoping to pull off a shock win. 3.30am Greater Lincolnshire is one of two new mayoral positions being contested for the first time and is likely to be a two-horse race between the Conservatives and Reform. The Tories have picked the leader of North Lincolnshire council Rob Waltham, while the Reform candidate is former Tory MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns. The result of the Doncaster mayoral election is due, with Labour's Ros Jones hoping for a fourth term in office. 7am A full set of council results should be in for Northumberland, which is currently run by a Conservative minority administration. Labour is the main opposition and will hope to improve its standing, though Reform and independent candidates could also make gains, ensuring the council remains in no overall control. 9am Counting will begin around this time for the remaining two mayoral contests in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and Hull & East Yorkshire, along with 22 of the 23 local authorities. 1pm The full result is due from Durham, where Labour is currently the largest party but does not have a majority and has been shut out of power for the past four years by a multi-party coalition that includes the Tories, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and various independents. Labour will hope to regain full control, but is facing an added challenge this time from Reform. 1.45pm The Tories could see their tiny majority vanish in Lancashire, where Labour, Reform and independent candidates are all hoping to make advances. 2.30pm The result is due for the new Hull & East Yorkshire mayor. The Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems all enjoy support in different parts of this region, while Reform has picked the former boxer and Olympic medallist Luke Campbell as its candidate. 3pm The pace begins to pick up with three councils due to finish declaring. Doncaster is the only local authority Labour is defending at these elections, but the party faces a big threat from Reform, which is treating the council as a top target. The Tories are likely to see their numbers cut in both Buckinghamshire and Leicestershire, but could well remain the largest party on both councils. The result is also due for the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough mayor, which was won by Labour's Nik Johnson in 2021 but he is not standing this time, and where both the Tories and Lib Dems fancy their chances. 4pm The losses could start to mount for the Conservatives. The Lib Dems are hoping to replace the Tories as the largest party in Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire and could make major gains on both councils. In Shropshire the Conservatives may lose power thanks to a challenge from the Lib Dems, Labour and smaller parties, though they could hang on in Staffordshire where they have a large majority. 4.30pm Labour did well in the county of Derbyshire at the general election and is hoping to pick up seats on the council this year. With the Lib Dems and Reform also eyeing gains, the Tories may lose overall control. 5pm A string of results could bring more gloom for the Conservatives. Reform is threatening to eat into the Tories' large presence in Lincolnshire and North Northamptonshire, while the Conservatives' tiny majority in Nottinghamshire is likely to evaporate in the face of challenges from Reform, Labour and local independents. The Lib Dems hope to chip away at the Tory numbers in Warwickshire and do well enough in Oxfordshire to take majority control. In Worcestershire, the story could be one of multiple parties gaining at the Conservatives' expense, particularly the Greens and Reform. 6pm More Tory losses may come in Cornwall, where the party has minority control of the council but faces twin threats from the Liberal Democrats and independents. The Lib Dems are also hoping to wipe out the Conservatives' majority in Devon and make gains at the Tories' expense in Wiltshire. In Cambridgeshire, the Lib Dems are currently the largest party but do not have a majority and will be keen to improve their position. The final results are due from Kent and West Northamptonshire: two councils where the Tories currently have a majority but where they face challenges from more than one party. Reform and Labour are hoping to advance in both areas, while Kent could see gains for the Lib Dems, Greens and independent candidates.
