By now all local authorities will have chosen between the two modes of governance allowed them. Either the democratically elected mayor or the “North Korean” style strong council leader.
There is little difference between the two in terms of costs or powers. There are however major differences when it comes down to local democracy.
The strong leader will be voted in by the council. In fact of course they will be elected by the majority party. Well not really. The majority party will caucus to choose their candidate and in most cases this will be on the advice of the party leadership, perhaps three or four people. Should the “North Korean”leader start doing things against party policy because in his or her view they are in the best interests of the electorate then he will be promptly sacked by the majority party and a new leader elected.
Contrast this with the elected Mayor. He or she will require possibly 20,000 votes to be elected and will have to publish a programme they will follow. They cannot be sacked by the council, only by the voters.
Which do you thing your local authority councilors have chosen?
Does this make a difference?
According to the Financial Times it does. Doncaster had a very poor, and tragic, history of bad governance until an English Democrats Party Mayor was elected in 2010. To begin with he had to put up with all sorts of childish and destructive behaviour from the local councilors until he called time on them by bringing in the commisioners who have assigned rules of conduct and mentors to the councilors.
Now all is changing. As the FT recorded that Doncaster was creating jobs faster than the national average they reported Daniel Fell, the policy director of the Doncaster chamber of commerce, as saying “An elected mayor helps too, allowing for greater focus on strategic business issues”.
Elected Mayors are not beholden to their party or anyone else except the electorate. They are free to do what is best for the people in their authority.
Wouldn’t you rather have one?
GHTime Code(s): nc nc nc
