Tory Led Cornwall Council Wants an All Powerful, Elected Mayor
Cornwall Council has applied to the government for the county to get an elected mayor or leader in order to gain further devolution powers.
The council’s leader, Conservative Linda Taylor, confirmed the authority bid last week for authorisation.
If the government agrees, it would have to be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of councillors, Mrs Taylor said. UPDATE: Some Cornwall Councillors are saying that this has now been changed to a straight majority vote, thus the ruling Conservative group could pass it.
If they approved, an election would then take place in May or October 2023, she added.
Story on BBC website here My Views below!
“Well, our Conservative led Council has put in to our Conservative Government to have an elected Mayor for Cornwall. Whilst they are presenting this as the way to get more decisions that affect Cornwall made in Cornwall, it is nothing like the Welsh Assembly or Scottish Parliament. It is putting lots of power in the hands of 1 person, who because of our First Past the Post voting system, will likely to be someone less than 50% of voters want. I’d bet that the Tories believe they are likely to get that powerful role, else they would not be pushing for it.
The Elected Mayor will choose the Council Cabinet so, if the Mayor is a Conservative they can pick all Cabinet members from the Conservative group of Councillors, even if across Cornwall they were not the biggest group of Councillors that were elected. Less power/ influence from your local Councillor unless they are of the same political persuasion as the Mayor.
Tell your Cornwall Councillor to vote against this because it can be stopped as on their own, Conservatives cannot push this through.”
FURTHER UPDATE: A petition has been launched so that we the residents of Cornwall can decide whether or to have an elected Mayor for Cornwall. Whilst I’m providing details of that petition, and have signed it myself, I’m not convinced that it will overall the decision of the Council IF they vote for it. Time will tell and hopefully, at some point, the Leader of the Council will adjust the statement she made, if it was not accurate! (Is there another Conservative somewhere in the country that may have made misleading statements?)
Perhaps I should just start a petition AGAINST having an Elected Mayor – simples!