Elected mayors and real localism

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/29/elected-mayors-and-real-localism

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I am sorry that the Guardian continues to promote executive mayors with the black-is-white argument that they are about "dismantling centralism" and "empowering local communities" (Editorial, 27 February). It ought to be obvious that taking power from an assembly of ward councillors and putting it into the hands of one person does the opposite.

The obsession with elected mayors among the elite is part of that same belief in the power of super-personalities which leads to the foolishness of celebrity worship and the obscenity of million-pound payments to City fat cats.

The committee system of local government, with wards small enough for personal contact still to be a key aspect of winning, and offering a career path into politics to those who don't have the fortune to run a city-wide campaign, is a glorious part of Britain's democratic heritage. Your claim that all power in the hands of one person is more effective than power shared by representatives of various opinions echoes the line used in the last century in favour of a similar system of governance, though at a national rather than local level, that it "makes the trains run on time". Matthew Huntbach London

• Your leader is wise to note the potential of directly elected mayors to help rejuvenate local leadership and politics as part of a new governing consensus where our major cities regain their position as the driving forces of English economic and social innovation.

In the coming months we will be announcing new "city deals", designed by the largest conurbations outside London, which are intended to enhance the right of initiative for urban leaders so clearing away Whitehall blockages that constrain local innovation.

Combined with multimillion pound skills and regional growth funds these changes are, as you remark, a moment of huge long-term "opportunity" which should not be spurned. Greg Clark MP Minister for cities

• At no point does your editorial acknowledge that, as Professor George Jones and Professor John Stewart have noted in an article on LocalGov.co.uk, that the Localism Act 2011 "imposes referendums on local people and local authorities, not sought by either"; and "is not based on a logic of localism, but on a logic of centralism".

On 5 December 2011 cities minister Greg Clark forced Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Bradford, Coventry, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield and Wakefield to hold these referendums. Liverpool has now decided to hold a mayoral election without a referendum. So there are now 10, not 11, imposed referendums. Your editorial is also incorrect to claim that Salford – where only 10% of the electorate on 26 January 2012 voted in a referendum for a US-style executive mayor – skipped the referendum stage.

Moreover, the mayoral system leads to cronyism, patronage and corruption; is the optimal internal management arrangement for privatised local government services; creates an arena focused on personalities, not politics; has not increased turnout; lacks voter support; has an undemocratic voting system; and gives voters no right of recall.

Finally, imposed mayoral referendums are a distraction from the real problems in these conurbations, where 94% of the Tory-led coalition government's cuts to public services are still to come. Dr Peter Latham London

• It was very disappointing to see the Guardian swallowing the unsubstantiated arguments for elected mayors. One small test – if government agrees to give all the powers and resources that they have handed over to non-elected, appointed bodies responsible for jobs, skills and economic development, like local enterprise partnerships, to the elected mayor then there might be a small shift in the arguments in favour. But they won't, not a chance. This is about subverting the process of elected local government and accountability. How can one person with no significant additional resources answer just one of the major questions in our cities, let alone "be the answer to a lot of them"? Cllr Kevin Maton Coventry city council

• The prospect of more elected mayors in the towns and cities of the UK is both a challenge and an opportunity. Strong leadership is a good thing for the local state and the market, and it should also be a very good thing for civil society.

New Labour's decision to create the Greater London Authority with an elected mayor was a major challenge to the civic leaders of Telco (The east London communities). In 1998 we put plans in place to build a strong and disciplined community organisation, financially independent of the state, but with enough people and enough member institutions to be taken seriously by the new mayor and be powerful enough to expect a seat at the negotiating table on issues which directly affect the interests of civil society. London Citizens' experience of an elected mayor in London since 2000 has been overwhelmingly positive. It has enhanced the role that Citizens member communities are able to play in the governance of our city and, we hope, has also strengthened the role and significance of the office of mayor.

It has also provided an incentive for the key institutions of civil society in London to bury our differences and concentrate – along with the mayor – on the issues and concerns of the people that our schools, faith groups, union branches and local associations are established to serve.

It has been Citizens UK's experience over the last 20 years that if you are organised, every political or economic challenge is an opportunity; but if you are not organised, it is a threat and can be a distraction. It is up to the institutions of civil society to rise to this challenge, welcome the proposed new mayors and grasp them with both hands. Neil Jameson Citizens UK

• So the Guardian advocates elected mayors. Like the equivalent of a local US president, once entrenched, it will need a Watergate or a local referendum to unseat the mayor. At least with a leader/prime ministerial system the office holder can be voted out by their rank and file by means of a vote of confidence. Geoff Woodcock Liverpool