Who wants an elected mayor in Coventry?

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Coventry could have an elected mayor by the end of the year if the voters give the idea their backing.


Communities Minister Greg Clark has said that if people in the city voted yes to the proposals in a referendum on 3 May he would fast-track an election to 15 November.

Coventry is one of 11 cities in England set to have such a referendum in the spring, although the city council's deputy leader George Duggins said there was "no appetite" for one.

The Labour councillor is not alone in believing the city does not need an elected mayor, a position that Mr Clark has said would give "visible leadership" and increase prosperity.

Earlier this month the council voted 45-4 in favour of opposing the government's plans.

Modern age

Mr Duggins said: "As councillors, people don't engage us about directly-elected mayors.

"What they do do is engage us about a whole variety of issues in respect to the quality of services we provide.

"We are an Olympic city and we didn't need an elected mayor to achieve that."

But Labour MP for Coventry North East, Bob Ainsworth, is one of those to express an interest in the role.

The former defence secretary said: "The current system of running our cities simply doesn't work.

"They cannot provide the leadership cities need in the modern age.

"If you ask the people of Coventry who the [council] leader is or who the deputy leader is, they don't know."

Voting confusion

Former council leader Ken Taylor was one of the four Conservative councillors to back the idea of an elected mayor, although he has admitted he is concerned the referendum is being held on the same day as local elections.

Mr Taylor said: "There will obviously be some confusion there and local politicians will be busy trying to get re-elected so the referendum for the elected mayor may slip into the background.

He is also worried that any mayoral election would subsequently happen on the same day as voters go to the polls to choose a new police commissioner.

"I don't quite like the idea of the two going together because people get very confused about it.

"People are confused about the police commissioner and why there's a need for change there."

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Dave Nellist turns down Coventry Lord Mayor role to fight cuts

COVENTRY councillor Dave Nellist has turned down the chance to become Lord Mayor – so he can fight the huge cuts facing the city.

The long serving Socialist councillor had been invited to become Deputy Lord Mayor in May, which would have paved the way for him to ascend to Lord Mayor in 2013.

However, he turned down the invitation in a letter to council leader John Mutton on Tuesday afternoon.

Coun Nellist said he appreciated the enormous honour and admitted he would have enjoyed the opportunity to spend more time with young and old people across the city.

However, he feared the ceremonial role would force him to remain silent at a time when he needed to be at his most vocal and committed.

He wrote: “Some colleagues have urged me to accept, saying I could bring a radical edge, particularly in the second year in terms of support for campaigns, to the job of Lord Mayor. And I have been tempted.”

He said his first step would have been to cancel municipal dinners and spend the hospitality budget inviting anyone who queued for food parcels at the Swanswell to eat at the council’s expense.

He said: “These posts require political neutrality and would force me to be silent for two years while these cuts are inflicted. I could not in all conscience do that.”

[Spuffler]

I can't see what difference a mayor elected by the voters compared to a mayor elected by the council or a subset of it makes. If "the man in the street" doesn't know who the present mayor and his deputy is:
a) how are they going to be any more knowledgeable about the candidates?
b) how will - as claimed by the Minister, Mr Clark - bring prosperity? (does it include a magic wand, perhaps?
c) how will the electorate have any idea about how good or bad their electee is?

It seems to me that it is more needless cost to the community to achieve little or nothing.

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Labour tells MP Bob Ainsworth to quit Commons if he stands as mayor

AN MP battling for the chance to run Coventry City Council has been ordered by Labour bosses to quit the House of Commons if he stands for election as the city’s first directly-elected mayor.

Bob Ainsworth will have to stand down as MP for Coventry North East, which he has represented since 1992, if he becomes the Labour candidate in a mayoral contest.

It means he faces the gamble of his career if he decides to stand – because he faces the possibility of losing a mayoral election and his Commons seat as well.

The tough ruling was imposed by Labour’s National Executive Committee.

Mr Ainsworth is campaigning for a “yes” vote in a referendum on May 3, which will decide whether Coventry replaces the existing system of a council leader with a mayor chosen directly by voters.

If the city does vote for the new system, he then plans to apply for the chance to become Labour’s candidate in the election, which will be held on November 15.

But the new ruling means that any MP who attempts to become Labour’s candidate in a mayoral election will have to promise to resign from the Commons if they are selected.

As a result, Mr Ainsworth would have to quit Parliament as early as July in order to dedicate himself to the mayoral election campaign, which there is no guarantee of winning.

The decision applies to every MP who becomes a Labour candidate in a mayoral election or election for police commissioners.

Others affected include Birmingham MP Gisela Stuart (Lab, Edgbaston), who hopes to stand for mayor in her city.

Mr Ainsworth said he was asking for an explanation, but his plans had not changed.

He said: “I would like to know why this decision was taken and what the justification is.

“I am going to seek clarification because I don’t understand it. I’m not changing my position.”

Some Labour activists argue it is right that sitting MPs should be forced to quit, because they cannot serve their constituents properly and claim an MP’s salary at the same time as running an election campaign.

But Mr Ainsworth said politicians often took part in campaigns, including backing their party in by-elections or council campaigns.

If Coventry did vote “yes” in the referendum, Labour plans to send out ballot papers for activists to choose a mayoral candidate on May 25.

The result, naming the party’s candidate, will be declared on June 15.

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'No point' to elected mayor plans for Coventry, claims Warwick University report

COVENTRY people are being asked to vote next month on pointless proposals for an elected mayor, a hard-hitting Warwick University report suggests.

The long-awaited Warwick Commission on Elected Mayors report slates the government’s offer to voters in May 3’s referendum, on whether people want to replace the existing councillors system with one person to lead the council.

The commissioners criticise the government – which is forcing referendums in ten cities – for not specifying to voters what extra powers might be handed down to elected mayors from Westminster.

Their strongest attack appears to be on the government’s decision to restrict elected mayors to city boundaries.

Many pro-mayor campaigners including Labour peer Lord Adonis wanted regionwide so-called “city-region” or “metro mayors” to operate beyond the confines of a city.

The commissions states: “There is no point in electing a mayor whose remit does not cover the necessarily boundary-spanning regions that could foster economic growth – the so-called metro-mayor.

"Government should return to considering extending to city region/metro mayors where this is appropriate for local areas at the earliest opportunity.”

Conservative Minister for Cities Greg Clark has stated metro-mayors could not be offered as it would take years of legislation, and potentially creating new regional authorities, which could face local opposition.

Kevin Johnson, of RJF Public Affairs, the commission’s secretariat, conceded the strong wording suggests the whole plan is “pointless”.

He added a mayor’s “informal” influence (or “soft-power”) could still extend beyond city boundaries, for instance with the mayor playing a part in Coventry and Warwickshire’s Local Enterprise Partnership between councils and business – just as council leaders already do.

But there is no hiding the damning verdict on minister’s plans.

If there is a ‘Yes’ vote in the £130,000 referendum in May, any elected mayor selected by voters on November 15 would be limited to the city’s footprint.

We first revealed the report was likely to criticise the government for leaving voters in the dark about “powers” for mayors after our interview with commission chairman Professor Wyn Grant.

The report considers performance of mayors internationally, and their problems in making any significant difference in others places in England.

Research director Professor Keith Grint said mayors “offer the possibility” of being more visible and accountable to voters to give leadership, although not all cities lacked it.

He added: “The absence of powers undermines the point of the local engagement and the mayoral alternative is perceived by some to be aimed at addressing this very issue.”

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Leading Tory councillor Kevin Foster won't be standing for Coventry's elected mayor



COVENTRY’S leading Conservative says he has ruled himself out of standing to become elected mayor – citing illness in his family.

Coventry people will vote in a referendum on May 3 to decide whether there should be an elected mayor running the city council.

If there is a “yes” vote there would then be a mayoral election in November.

Until now Councillor Kevin Foster, the Tory opposition leader, has refused to rule out standing to become the Conservative candidate.

But, asked by the Telegraph if he was still considering standing, he said: “No”.

He added: “My mum’s fine with it being public knowledge already that she’s been suffering from bowel cancer over the last year, and has chemotherapy. It means over the summer I’ll be spending time with family (in Plymouth). That rules out completely going for the mayor job – if it were to happen.”

Asked if a change of family circumstances could see him changing his position after May, Coun Foster said: “I don’t see that happening.”

Pressed for further clarification, he said: “It’s not going to happen. Unless there is a miraculous recovery.”

Coun Foster said he expected Coventry Conservatives would select their candidate for any November mayoral contest in June. No other Tory councillors have stated publicly they would be interested in standing.

Coun Foster added: “A mayor would give the city a powerful voice and opportunity to elect someone with a real mandate in dealing with government in the city’s interest.

“If Birmingham votes for a mayor – and Leicester already has one – it would be a missed opportunity if the city stayed with the current system.”

But 11 of 15 Tory councillors have joined all other Coventry councillors in opposing having an elected mayor to replace the leader and cabinet system of ten elected councillors.

Opponents point to ministerial pledges in the Commons that cities would not need a mayor to qualify for new funding schemes under City Deals. A City Deal has already been created for Manchester councils.

They believe a mayor system would put too much decision-making power in the hands of one person – who could not be removed for four years. Existing council leaders can be removed by councillors, as well as by voters in their ward at elections.

Lib Dem councillor Russell Field and Socialist Party councillor Dave Nellist claim elected mayor systems are less democratic – as elected councillors would need a huge two-thirds majority to block a mayor’s policies.

They also point to a general failure of mayors in 14 other places to boost economic growth, the Government’s big claim for mayors.