The coalition government as part of the Localism Act have called a referendum in England’s 10 largest cities.
The aim is to ask residents whether they wish to switch to an elected mayor model to run local services. All executive power rests with just one individual who is directly elected once every four years.
Bristol has had the choice to switch to this model for over 10 years. A petition of residents would have automatically triggered a referendum.
But Bristol’s residents, like those in the other cities, chose not to do this. Despite this, the Government has decided to spend £millions on holding these referenda.
I suspect Bristol is wary that this is another nice little job for an “important” Councillor without a mandate. Funnily enough the Council doesn’t want to make the people of Bristol aware about what an elected leader of the council is actually about, which is why the government is promoting this.
If the council was doing its job serving the people of Bristol the Government wouldn’t be pushing this through.
I get the (Long Ashton) Park & Ride and note the task of the bus drivers who are trying to deal with the councils current cost-cutting exercise of cutting bus numbers from 6 to 4. Nice work council, I’m sure the collective lost hours of productivity in Bristol through late employees and anger directed at your bus drivers is worth it.
If a mayor can sort that, I’m all for it.