Could we soon see a Boris for Bristol or a Ken for Liverpool? The time finally draws near when 11 of England’s largest cities will hold referendums for directly elected mayors. This shake-up to city governance is one more example of the Coalition’s localism agenda and wish to encourage greater city-leadership at the local level.
Political changes are rarely easy and the mayoral issue is no exception. Over the last year the debate has been lively between those in favour and those firmly against. Even as the Government closed its consultation on the proposed mayoral powers last week, the debates raged on. Manchester’s Local Enterprise Partnership voiced its opposition arguing that a mayor ‘would bring no advantages to the city-region and would be disruptive to arrangements already in place that link the conurbation’s 10 councils’. Similarly, the Leader of Bristol City Council, claimed that the ‘the public are uninterested and the subject switches them off.’
The reticence by those opposed to mayors stems in part from the uncertainty about what powers and influence they will have over the things that really matter. Whilst the Mayor of London is often held up as the desirable model, this is not the model on the table for the 11 cities. If we want our big cities to opt for mayors we have to give them real powers.
Our recent report, Big Shot or Long Shot: How elected mayors can help drive economic growth in England’s cities, went further and argued for Metro Mayors, covering the geography of the real economy, for all our major cities.
Our vision for a Metro Mayor would take the best aspects of the London mayoral model and apply them to our big cities. This would give Metro Mayors powers to:
- Develop a strategic spatial plan for their area;
- Take decisions on strategically significant planning applications;
- Co-chair the LEP;
- Chair the Integrated Transport Authority and appoint the board;
- And play an active role in negotiating new powers and devolutions from Whitehall, as enabled by the Localism Act and the General Power of Competence.
With May just around the corner, to convince those that are against mayors, the Government will need to create a mayoral model that offers city mayors real control over their places. Who could resist that?
Follow @AndrewCities on Twitter
Recent Comments