Today sees the close of an eight week consultation period on the powers an elected mayor should have if the referendums scheduled for May 2012 agree to this. This consultation, begun on November 1st, has been rather over shadowed by the Pensions strike but the outcome of this could have a significant impact on the political control of our council.
Birmingham is one of 12 English cities (Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham, Sheffield and Wakefield) that the Con-Dem Government would like to see directly elect a mayor with executive powers to replace the current system of councillors choosing a Leader and Cabinet members.
The plan is to hold a referendum in the 12 cities in May 2012 on whether to have a directly elected mayor.
This consultation is over the additional powers the directly mayor should have beyond control of the city council, such as over transport in the city.
UNISON's view on directly elected mayors is that we don't support the idea. We find it difficult to comment on the powers they should have, because we don't believe they should have any.
Speaking personally, I really value the system we have of councillors elected by ward who then choose amongst themselves who should be responsible for the different areas of council services, and a leader for the council.
I know my local councillors and so do my neighbours. If we have a problem or issue, we know we can get to our councillors really easily. There are advice surgeries, regular ward and constituency meetings open to the public and we can even contact them directly if we need to. That's not to say I'm happy with the decisions they make in the council, particularly when it comes to cutting our services and changing our contracts. But I respect the democratic process through which they were elected and the role of the councillors within it. And I believe they are continually responsive to their electors, to at least some degree. And I get to vote for them three years out of four.
Compare that with a single person who is elected by a million inhabitants who then can choose who will be their Cabinet members. How close will they be to their individual electors ? Maybe every four or five years when they are seeking re-election. It's the concept of the big individual political hero, rather than power being in the hands of a hundred or so councillors elected by local wards
I can understand why London would find it useful to have a city wide mayor. Their local authority services are delivered by dozens of local borough councils so it makes sense to have a cooordinating and strategic executive body and a directly elected mayor.
But Birmingham already has that coordinating and strategic body. It's called the council.
The main argument for a directly elected mayor seems to be that it might attract someone with exceptional charisma and strategic abilities to be a champion for the city. Well we've not done so badly with the old system of locally elected councillors. Birmingham has been transformed over the past few decades. It is a city I enjoy living in and am proud to call home. And it is a product of local democracy. But for how long ?
Graeme Horn
Joint Branch Secretary
Birmingham City Council's “Employees Personal Accident Scheme”
ReplyDeleteThis scheme is open to all of the above employees who have suffered a permanent Bodily, or Psychological injury while arising from activities in the course of an employee’s employment. The City council will pay to the employee or, in the event of death, to or for the benefit of employee’s dependents a sum shown in the scale of benefits, provided that such injury occurs within the circumstances or the range of circumstances set out in activities of the scheme.
This scheme shall apply to:-
1. All employees of the City Council
2. All Teachers and other employees appointed by Governing Bodies of Voluntary Schools aided by the City Council, and
3. Justices Clerks and their staffs and all other statutory officers whose salaries are paid by the City Council.
Please contact Birmingham UNISON Branch or your line manager for further details.
John Slotta
Branch Membership Services Officer