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Cheshire Elected Mayor


Geoffrey Settle

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Complete waste of time and money imo. and doesn't compare to the devolution in Scotland and Wales (which in essence is Regional).  The Tories have never believed in devolution (as they believe in less Government); but instead of a system of Regional Governance in England, they've basically returned to the old Metropolitan & County Council structure, something they scrapped under Margaret.  So basically, another example of the wheel turning full circle, in the absence of political imagination or interest.    :rolleyes:

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No Geoff. The final deal may be agreed by the Councils in July this year. However the financial arrangements to give 100% Non-Domestic Rate Retention, removal of RSG and Public Health Grants and what ever else is agreed will follow. The finances will not be fixed until the Local Government Settlement in December 2017/February 2018, just like Liverpool and Manchester this year. Then the Mayor for Cheshire would be elected in May 2018 on the ordinary day of election.

The regionalisation of Transport and the possible creation of an Integrated Transport Authority able to levy a precept across Cheshire and subsidise much needed bus services would be very welcome even if it costs us more. It would also be welcome to shut WBC up about government cuts since all their failing from 2018 on would be their own doing with no one else to blame. Giving regional planning to Cheshire is a logical extension on what happens anyway in the LEP. Overall it seems like moving away things that Warrington doesn't do well and leaving the rest is probably a good deal. For strategic planning Warrington is already too small to deal with the regional planning operations in the adjacent City regions and most residents will see an improvement. Despite what Observer thinks it is not the same as the old metropolitan counties and Warrington would remain as a unitary authority where it shares limited functions with others via a Combined Authority which has only limited areas of responsibility.

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It is essentially the same in terms of location as the "old" County Council; likewise, Manchester & Liverpool, as the "old" Mets. The only difference being an elected Mayor, as opposed to elected Councillors. So no real change and no application of organisational imagination.  We only have to look at Germany or Australia for a Federal model that would provide Regional Gov for England, with powers on a par with Scotland (NB. Scotland 5mill pop; N/W England 7mill pop).  Such entities would be sufficiently large to be considered truly "strategic" authorities; leaving the remaining Unitaries to deal with local Governance.  As for the fear of increasing the numbers of politicians; this can easily be controlled to a limited number elected on the basis of Party lists. which would make them far more representative in proportion to the views of the electorate. The presence of an opposition to the majority Party, would also provide scrutiny and transparency, and perhaps avoid a single individual Mayor furnishing family and friends with jobs, they aren't qualified to do !     :ph34r:

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