Even by the Reverend’s underpowered standards, this year’s State of the City Address – where Rees shows up Bristol University’s Great Hall and delivers a lecture like a ponce – had very little to say.
The big policy announcement from this re-elected Mayor basking in second term glory with the city at his feet was, er, a plan to possibly close Park Street to traffic.
However, this bizarre little observation hidden in among the weeds of Reverend’s rambling caught our eye:
“In September’s Full Council, three people made statements, in turn. The first argued against housebuilding on Western Slopes and urban sprawl. The second, concerned about private rents, told me to sort out the housing crisis – that would require me to build homes. The third made a statement against children living in tall buildings and there is of course a wider campaign against height.
I suggested that they all need to talk to each other. All three made an argument, that to be solved, required compromise from the other two.
State of the City Address, 21 October 2021
It’s fine to point at me but what’s needed is a city conversation.”
In other words, leave me alone to make money licking wealthy arse and you argue between yourselves suckers