25 April 2008
Every major town and city in England should have a directly elected mayor, the Institute for Public Policy Research urged this week.
The call comes in the run-up to the hotly contested election for mayor of London on May 1, with Labour's Ken Livingstone neck and neck with his main rival, the Conservatives' Boris Johnson.
Mayors also head local authorities in Hartlepool, the London Borough of Hackney and other areas. An essay in the IPPR journal, published on April 23, says the results have been positive.
Introducing mayors in other towns would give 'stronger local political leadership, clearer accountability and encourage central government to decentralise more powers to local government', it says.
The essay claims that although elected mayors are permitted by the 2000 Local Government Act, the system is 'biased against introducing them', leaving England with just 13. A referendum to create the post can be triggered only by a majority vote from councillors or a petition signed by 5% of residents.
'Government clearly recognises the merits of the office of elected mayor – it emerges as the “strongest leadership model” in its 2006 white paper... but [it] has conspicuously failed to address the political obstacles that stand in the way of their further introduction,' the report says.
Guy Lodge, senior research fellow at the IPPR, added: 'Even though mayors have proved a success in places like London, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, the current system allows councils to block the creation of more mayors.
'Mayoral campaigns, like the current London one, help to invigorate local politics by provoking interest and debate on local issues.'
Local Government Secretary Hazel Blears said she shared the IPPR's view that elected mayors could provide 'visible, strong leadership for a town
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