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