Metro Mayor and MP threatened with legal action

Dan Norris has been the Metro Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority since 2021 and is also an MP

A Somerset MP who is also West of England Metro Mayor has been threatened with legal action over comments he made on a BBC TV programme.

Dan Norris, Metro Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) and Labour MP for North East Somerset and Hanham, told the BBC's Politics West show "there were issues" about his former chief executive at Weca, Patricia Greer.

Dr Greer, who received a £219,000 pay-off when she departed the role in August 2023 having earlier taken out a grievance against him, said: "Dan Norris' comments about myself were incorrect and a complete misrepresentation of my reasons for leaving."

The BBC has approached Mr Norris for comment.

Dr Greer went on to say there was a confidentiality agreement in place and that she had "continued to respect and abide by" the terms set out within it.

She warned that "If there are further breaches of the confidentiality agreement and comments made which bring me into disrepute, which are again misrepresentations, then I will have no other choice but to respond to correct these to protect my professional reputation."

Dr Greer claims that Mr Norris' comments on the BBC's Politics West show on 24 November were a breach of the confidentiality agreement.

Such agreements are commonplace in dispute settlements and breaching them can result in injunctions, damages and, in very severe cases, criminal charges.

When asked on the programme how many chief executives had come and gone during his time in office Dan Norris said:

"We had one permanent chief executive, but there were issues about her."

Patricia Greer had worked as Weca's chief executive for four years

Weca is a combination of three council areas - Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset.

Dr Greer was instrumental in establishing Weca and had served as its chief executive since 2017.

She and Mr Norris fell out in 2022, one year after his election to the mayoral position.

In July 2024, Mr Norris was also elected as the Labour MP for North East Somerset and Hanham, defeating the incumbent Conservative MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Mr Norris currently holds both positions but Labour Party rule changes prevent him from running for Weca re-election in May next year.