Cllr Geoff Gollop chosen as Conservative candidate for directly elected Mayor of Bristol

By Matthew Barrett
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Earlier this year, Bristol voted for a directly-elected mayor. When it elects its first mayor later this year, it will join a select group of cities and local authorities to have such a position - after many cities voted down government referendums in May.

Congratulations to Geoff Gollop, who was chosen last night as the Conservative candidate for the mayoralty of Bristol. Cllr Gollop represents the Westbury-on-Trym ward on Bristol City Council, and is currently the Deputy Lord Mayor, having been Lord Mayor last year.

Cllr Gollop defeated former Lord Mayor and leader of the Council's Conservatives, Peter Abrahams, and former Councillor Barbara Lewis.

Cllr Gollop told the Bristol Post he intends to campaign on transport, education and deprivation. He said:

"I am absolutely delighted to have been selected. I want to have a positive clean campaign with none of the petty back stabbing that goes on in local government at the moment. We need clear policies that will work in the long term and not just short-term fixes."

Cllr Gollop will fight it out with Labour, Lib Dem, Respect, and Green party candidates, plus a number of independents, on the 15th November.

Salford appoints assistant mayor for "humanegement"

The impetus behind the referendum to approve a directly elected Mayor for Salford was to have lower Council Tax. But Ian Stewart, the Labour candidate for the resulting who was elected last month, has got off to a disturbing start.

The Daily Mail reports that he has recruited not only a deputy mayor but 13 assistant mayors. The new assistant mayors will get allowances of between £9,000 and £14,600. The previous arrangement in Salford was also pretty top heavy with a Cabinet of 17 members. So, in fairness to Mr Stewart, he has hasn't pushed the allowances costs up - but one might have hope he would have made an effort to streamline the system.

One post is for "Assistant Mayor for International Relations." Another is "Assistant Mayor for Humanagement and Workplace Reform."

Vote Yes to directly elected Mayors

In the 1998 referendum on setting up a Greater London Authority with a Mayor of London and London Assembly I voted No. This was despite the encouragement of the Conservative leader William Hague for Londoners to vote Yes. I though that it would be another layer of bureaucracy. That despite the assurances of Tony Blair that it would prove a GLC Mark II - there would be inherent empire building.

Despite the eight years of Ken Livingstone, which in many ways confirmed my misgivings, I think that it is better to have accountability for services such as transport and policing rather than have them run by Quangos. Localism should mean that where possible powers should be devolved from City Hall to the London boroughs. But there is a need for a Mayor of London. So I think I was wrong to vote No.

The arguments for replacing a council leader with a directly elected mayor are rather different. The record of how they have worked out so far has been mixed. There has ben cases where the Mayor has got stuck in a kind of gridlock with the majority of councillors.

But if I lived in Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Doncaster, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, Sheffield or Wakefield then I would be voting Yes tomorrow. Circumstances vary a bit but having an election Mayor would give a chance to shake things up in places where municipal politics is broadly characterised by complacency, ossification and apathy.

Guardian poll shows majority oppose elected mayors

The Guardian this morning has a poll which shows agreement, by 61% to 34%, with the proposition: "a local council mostly run by councillors from political parties that have a local majority" than adopt "a directly elected mayor" to run things in their area.

Does this mean that the Government will face the embarrassment next week of a switch to directly elected mayors being rejected in Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield and Wakefield next week?

Not necessarily. First of all the poll has been conducted nationally not just in cities - let alone the cities holding the referendums. Also, as the Guardian report rightly acknowledges, a lot depends on the wording of the question. Where there is a directly elected mayor there are still local councillors who still, to a considerable extent run things. They are appointed to Cabinet posts. They make decisions on committees for such matters as planning and licensing. Indeed one of the problems in Doncaster has been that if the mayor is at odds with the councillors it rather gums up the works.

Cameron goes to Bristol to campaign for the "exciting democratic change" of city mayors

By Tim Montgomerie
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David Cameron goes to Bristol today to encourage the city to vote for a directly-elected mayor. Conservative HQ have realeased two early extracts from his speech:

"Britain stands on the brink of exciting democratic change. Just over a week from now the polling stations will go up, the voters will come out, and our biggest cities will vote yes or no to having their own Mayor. Let's be clear what this moment means. It's not some trivial re-structure or fiddling about. It's about more investment across our country. More jobs for our workers. More life in our political system. It's a once-in-a-generation chance to change the way our country is run. I passionately want those cities - from Bristol to Birmingham, Nottingham to Newcastle, Sheffield to Wakefield, to give a resounding, emphatic 'yes' next week."

He will continue:

"So my message to voters is simple: don't miss out. This is it. One moment. One chance. One day when you can change the course of your city. You can see that place you live in stagnate or reach for something more. Join the race or fall behind. If you want a powerful figure who loves your city running your city - get out and vote yes. If you want your local champion speaking to the heart of government, banging their fist on the table for Birmingham, or Bristol or Leeds - get out and vote yes. If you want to see your city grow more prominent, more powerful, more prosperous - get out and vote yes. This is a once-in-a-generation chance to change the way we run our country, so seize it, vote for it, go for it."

Liam Byrne wants to be Birmingham's Mayor

By Tim Montgomerie
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It hasn't been a great week for the Government but there is some good news to report. The Coalition's City Mayors initiative is really beginning to take off.

It's been leaked this evening that Liam-there-is-no-money-left-Byrne will leave the shadow cabinet if Birmingham chooses to have a directly-elected mayor. Mr Byrne will then stand to run England's second city if he can get the Labour nomination. Other possible Labour candidates include Gisela Stuart MP and former MP Sion Simon.

The likelihood of Birmingham getting a directly-elected mayor increased with the news that the current Tory leader of the council has overcome his scepticism and endorsed the idea. Writing for the Birmingham Post Cllr Mike Whitby explained his change of heart by declaring that "the Government is determined to devolve real power and access to funding to city mayors". Many city mayors referenda have failed to pass because local party machines - generally run by councillors - have often united to block a change that would reduce their powers.

Earlier this week at a reception to promote city mayors David Cameron promised to chair a six monthly cabinet where cities with mayors would meet with him. Cities minister Greg Clark explained the idea to the BBC:

"Mayors are a very good way of providing the strong, visible leadership that helps attract investment, and have enormous potential to drive a city's future prosperity. By coming together, sharing innovations and building relationships, city mayors will play an important role in ensuring their city lives up to its full potential."

Mayors and Elected Police Chiefs will be slow burn reforms but they will steadily call time on Britain's very centralised state. The most talented people won't all gravitate to the Houses of Parliament but will stay in their localities and develop diverse and locally attuned approaches to their own city's challenges. Business leaders and others who might not have been tempted with the powers available to councillors may well be tempted by the powers available to directly-elected mayors. Westminster and Whitehall will also be able to call on cities for talented executives and to learn from diverse models of policy innovation.

Will elected Mayors be able to scrap council chief executives?

I read in Prospect magazine an interview with former Labour MP Sion Simon, who wants to be the Labour directly elected Mayor of Birmingham if such a post is created. Among his policies is to abolish the post of chief executive of Birmingham City Council. "It is important for someone to take total responsibility," he says. "And that is why the mayor has to be the chief executive."

One can see how Conservative candidates for mayor might come up with a similar message. Indeed Boris Johnson has walked the walk not just talked the talk. But that was in the context of the incumbent Leo Boland being in support of the idea and of City Hall staffing levels being cut back.

Supposing though that Sion Simon takes charge of Birmingham this November and the chief executive Stephen Hughes wishes to continue in his £180,000 post as CEO. "The elected mayor does not have the power to appoint or dismiss staff," someone tells the journalist writing the Prospect piece. "That remains the responsibility of the council as a whole. It is, of course, possible for the mayor to persuade the council to either make the chief executive post redundant or restructure to downgrade the position. Chief executives have statutory protection from arbitrary dismissal."

Conservatives pick local entrepreneur as candidate for Mayor of Liverpool

Congratulations to Tony Caldeira who has been chosen to be the Conservatives candidate in the election of Mayor of Liverpool taking place on May 3.

Tony announced his campaign at the time of the Global Entrepreneurship Congress. His home textiles company was founded on a Liverpool market stall and now manufactures and sells its products around the world. He wants to make Liverpool not only a Capital of Culture but also a Capital of Enterprise Culture.

We all have happy memories of the Conservatives winning Liverpool in the 1979 Euro elections. I fear the prospects for Tony being elected Mayor as less promising. But he will be able to build support for the Party and ensure that the Conservative message is heard in the city.

The election uses the Alternative Vote system. I suspect that Phil Redmond will stand as an independent - although his teasing over his intentions is becoming tiresome. I think he would merit a second preference from Liverpudlian Tories.

Labour choose former MP as candidate for Mayor of Salford

The Labour Party have chosen the former Labour MP Ian Stewart to be their candidate for the directly elected Mayor of Salford. The election takes place in May and the selection of Mr Stewart is a snub to the Labour council leader Cllr John Merry.

The Conservative candidate is Cllr Karen Garrido who is promising lower Council Tax. I hope she will provide more details in the coming weeks. The high level of Council Tax was what prompted the referendum for a directly elected Mayor in the first place. So it is important for Cllr Garrido's pledge to be both bold and credible. There is plenty of material for her.

But what of Mr Stewart? He is a former union official. Then when he became an MP he was a left wing rebel. His support for increased public spending included claiming the maximum possible for food of £4,800 a year as well as £500 for a leather suite.

Is he really likely to be the man to cut the Council Tax?

Pickles overturns ban on prayers

Added at 8pm on Sunday, Pickles video:

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Eric Pickles has written to councils to confirm that the general power of competence in the Localism Act includes the legal right to say prayers at the start of their meetings. This guidance is felt to effectively overturn the court ban on prayers last week. Remember you read it first here.

Eric says:

“Last week’s case should be seen as a wake-up call.

“For too long, the public sector has been used to marginalise and attack faith in public life, undermining the very foundations of the British nation. But this week, the tables have been turned.

“We are striking a blow for localism over central interference, for freedom to worship over intolerant secularism, for Parliamentary sovereignty over judicial activism, and for long-standing British liberties over modern-day political correctness.”