Fergie Faces
Academic
Probe

Newly elected Mayor, George Ferguson, will be put through the paces by a team of democracy experts from Bristol University and UWE.

Ferguson, an ex-Bristol student, faces testing by the Bristol Civic Leadership Project to see, “the difference a directly elected mayor will make”.

The city’s first Mayor graduated from Bristol in 1971 after six years studying architecture. He has since been awarded honorary degrees from both Bristol and the University of the West of England.

Ferguson: red trouser fan

The Mayor has never commented on which award he regards most highly, but has been nominated a Bristol Pioneer, “in recognition of ongoing donations he’s made to [Bristol] University”. He  is also a trustee of the UBU.

Now that the city’s mayor is in place, the crack-team from BCLP, including Bristol’s own Professor Alex Marsh and Dr. David Sweeting,will be monitoring his efforts.

“[We will] segment the local population of Bristol and stakeholders”, then look at, “their thoughts and expectations about the governance of the city, [comparing] both before the election and then in spring 2013”.

With his strong connections to Bristol University, many are hoping for positive changes from the mayor’s office, but any such effects as yet remain unclear.