Helen Godwin becomes new West of England mayor
Labour’s Helen Godwin has been elected as the new West of England mayor, taking over from scandal-hit Dan Norris.
She secured 25% of the vote, with Reform’s Arron Banks in second with 22%, in an election that saw five candidates receive at least 14%. There were 205,557 votes cast, with turnout at 30%.
Helen Godwin
Godwin’s campaign had focused on transport improvements – especially the bus network and more railway stations – housing, and investment into the region. She will now lead the West of England Combined Authority, which has significant powers across Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire.
It ends Norris’s four-year term as mayor. He didn’t stand for re-election because he was elected as an MP last July, and new rules prevented him from holding the two jobs. However he was arrested in early April on suspicion of rape, child sex offences, child abduction and misconduct in a public office, and was banned from entering the Combined Authority’s offices for his final weeks in office.
The result was declared at around 5am:
GODWIN, Helen (Labour Party): 51,197
BANKS, Arron Fraser Andrew (Reform UK): 45,252
PAGE, Mary (Green Party): 41,094
SMITH, Steve (The Conservative Party Candidate): 34,092
HENMAN, Oli (Liberal Democrats): 28,711
SCOTT, Ian Keith Mark (Independent): 4,682
