Page 9 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • September 2008 9
Elected mayors: the leader’s view

The idea of having a directly elected mayor has been highlighted in the June, July and August Link magazines. We asked councillor Rod Bluh,
Leader of Swindon Council, where he stands on the issue.
I am delighted there is a debate in Swindon about how we should organise our local government, but I stress that these are my personal views.
I am also subject to ‘advice’ from a key member of staff who is writing a doctoral thesis on England’s executive mayors.
Some reasons why you might want 3. If you believe 2. You think a mayor the electoral system matters.
a directly elected mayor: there is a demo- can hire and fire peo- We also need to have proper lo-
1. You want to increase the coun- cratic deficit be- ple. The only person cal self-government in this country.
cil leader’s power of influence cause the present the mayor can hire is Without proper systems of finance,
rather than power of command. council leader is one personal political fewer central directions, and fewer
Being directly elected gives the only accountable assistant. Even the attempts to exclude councillors,
mayor the ability to get through to electors in a chief executive is no local council, regardless of its
‘gatekeepers’ to talk to the people single ward. still recruited by the leader will be able to make more
that matter. Once that conversation Being elected by council than minor changes.
has started, the role is no different and answerable to 3. You believe the Let us create empowered local
to being a council leader; it is up to the whole borough mayor will represent councils and then we can worry
the individual to make something gives the mayor greater legitimacy, ‘all the people.’ All the people about structures.
happen. and it also means they can take never have one opinion about an
2. You want a stronger direction controversial decisions that affect issue. When someone says ‘all the developers threaten
within the local authority. An only a single ward. people’ they usually mean ‘some of Wain Homes are appealing against
elected mayor’s four-year term Some reasons why you might not the people, but especially me!’ Any the North Wilts Council decision to
office matters greatly inside the want a directly elected mayor: good politician balances these and reject their plan for 200 homes next
civic offices since it helps with 1. You need a mayor to be more thinks of what is right, not what to Sparcells. Objections have to be
planning, but is less important in visible. Just look at the coverage I is popular. submitted by 24 September.
the real world. Also, there is no have achieved over the canal or the 4. You think a celebrity will emerge
real mechanism to remove a mayor road safety funding. You need ideas as winner. In most cases the success- Details at www.swindonlink.com
mid-term. to gain publicity, not just a title. ful mayoral candidate is a sitting
councillor or council leader. Even Promoting Equality
What do you think? when personalities stand, that is no Swindon Coalition of Disabled
The Link launched the ‘reclaim the right to be heard’ campaign in the guarantee of electoral success. People in Partnership with Swindon
August edition after publicising the fact that citizens did not get a fair My own view is that good people Access Group and Swindon Council
opportunity to express their views on elected mayors in 2001. must stand for election in the first hold advice surgeries on any issue
We’ve teamed up with www.talkswindon.org where you will find an place, whether as councillors or as to do with disability or impairment on
mayors. Without this basic element, Wednesdays, 9.30am to 1pm in the
opinion survey. There is also an online petition to sign no structural change, no duty to One Stop Shop, Watt Tyler House,
the background stories are in the e-Link at www.swindonlink.com promote democracy, no change to Beckhampton Street

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