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Second chances?The Elected Mayor agenda in the
UKAnna Randle
NLGN
The “problem” of UK local government
• Long term centralisation
• Undermining of local government
• Poor performance?
• Declining voter turnout and engagement
DEM’s: Labour’s “answer”
• Elected mayors offered:– Higher public profile, accountability– New relationships with public– Quicker decision making
• Directly elected (unlike Leaders)• In post for 4 years• Appoint cabinet• Set policy tone and direction • Propose their own budgets
However…(the First Mistake)
• Limited model compared to abroad:– Need 2/3 of council support to pass
budget– Can’t necessarily appoint officers– No ‘extra’ powers for local government
- same framework
Resistance to DEMS(the Second Mistake)
• 82% of councillors opposed; 3% in favour
• Fears about:– Anti ‘strong leadership’– Manifestation of power in 1 person– Corruption– Privatisation– Personality politics
Labour’s structural reform(and Third Mistake)
• Local Government Act 2000
• 3 options for council structure: 2 included a DEM
Public consultation(the Fourth Mistake)
• Opinion polls demonstrated high levels of public support
• But councils interpreted the public consultation…
The result?
• Only 28 Mayoral referenda held
• 11 ‘yes votes’ leading to mayoral elections
Who were the First 11?• 4 Labour • 1 Conservative• 1 Liberal Democrat• 5 Independents• Plus Ken Livingstone, Independent first
time• Political control changed in 7 councils • Volatile elections and association of
mayors with ‘anti-political party’
Why? Contextual factors
• Long term dominance of one political party
• Difficult politics; often a split ruling group
• Poor quality services
• Budget problems
• Economic decline / high levels of deprivation
• Negative relationship between council and press
• Public disillusionment with local government
Meaning…
• Strong leadership appealed to public
• Mayors and the mayoral model: the most challenging test possible?
Second Phase
Can assess mayors on 4 axes:
1. Political culture and internal governance
2. Service delivery and improvement
3. Public opinion
4. External governance / Community
Leadership
1. Political culture / internal governance
• Has generally improved, for reasons including:– Inclusive approach of some mayors – Time and adjustment– Pragmatism– Emergence of internal benefits - faster
decision-making and greater stability
2. Service delivery• Largely focussed on the visible, tangible
– Streetscene – Abandoned cars, graffiti, litter, parks
etc– Crime
• External assessment of improvement– e.g. CPA – Newham, Hackney, North
Tyneside, Doncaster; Lewisham; Stoke
3. Public opinion polls (2003)
Headline message 1:
More people know who their mayor is
– Average name recog. in mayoral areas: 57%– Average name recog. in leader/cabinet areas:
25%– Higher outside London – eg North East 73%
people recognise mayor
Headline message 2:
Mayors create information and interest for local engagement and
judgement
– Positive cycle of engagement? – More likely to vote?
4. External governance / ‘Community Leadership’
• Legitimacy to articulate long term vision • Complex issues which require joining-up:
– Levering support of other agencies (LSP, Mayoral conferences)
– improvements to services not directly in remit of council
– Mayor of ‘area’, not council– Mayors holding council to account on behalf of
electorate
The return of DEMs?
1. Evidence of improvement
• “So far so good”
• Main fears not realised
• Strong evidence of improvement: services and governance
• Higher accountability
• London success
2. Changing policy agenda
• New role of local government?
• Community Leadership
• Partnership and joining up
• Greater local autonomy– Local Area Agreements
3. Unanswered questions
• The regional question– Prescott’s Road to Damascus
• Economic regeneration and competitiveness– Cities
Future mayoral policy
• Avoid the mistakes!– Treat them differently (sort out small
things)– Incentivise cities – and candidates– Tackle remaining resistance– Make mayors more powerful
Ask the Big Questions
• Regeneration• Planning• Licensing• Infrastructure• Local finance: spending & taxing (LAAs?)• Partnership• ‘Local legislation’• Freedoms and flexibilities• Wider governance: city regions?
Challenge to Government
• Create a blueprint• Consult with councils and mayors• Attach to wider thinking and
initiatives• Be brave• Give leadership from the centre• Use this opportunity for a second
chance