CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
“Burnham backs Sarwar's call from metro mayors in Scotland“
(9 posts)-
Posted 1 year ago #
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We don't have Mayors in Scotland, we have Provosts/Lord Provosts. Frankly I don't see what the benefits are of directly elected Mayors in England, except as an opportunity for politicians to grandstand, engage in populist sound bites, and undermine the roles and powers of councillors and/or local assemblies.
Elected Mayors are just a Conservative era sticking plaster, trying to compensate for the loss of regional authorities which had a more strategic tole in transport, education, planning, etc. Abolished by the Conservatives in 1992, of course, mainly to get rid of a lot of Labour regional councillors...
Posted 1 year ago # -
Sarwar doesn't know which country he's in.
Posted 1 year ago # -
It does seem that cities with powerful Mayors have progressed significantly on active travel. Is it just coincidence?
Posted 1 year ago # -
“Is it just coincidence?“
That’s an interesting question.
Manchester had Boardman locally available.
London had/has Boris’ mate Gilligan - https://www.cyclist.co.uk/news/2675/boris-johnsons-new-transport-advisor-andrew-gilligan-the-the-answer-is-cycling - building on the work of Livingstone (and advisors).
Yes I took this picture (1984). Said he couldn’t cycle, ‘balance problems’.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Livingstone of course was not originally a Mayor, but leader of a strategic authority, Greater London Council, abolished by Thatcher mainly because the policies were too "socialist" and challenged her ideology and authority too publicly. Ironically London once again has a strategic authority alongside an elected Mayor, because the local unitary boroughs are not very good at working together on all-London policies.
Also as we know, the iconic "Boris bikes" were instigated by Livingstone as Mayor of London in the zeroes.....so they should be "Ken bikes" really.
Posted 1 year ago # -
“Is it just coincidence?“
I'd say yes. Many English councils have Lord Mayors which is the equivalent of our Lord Provost, i.e. ceremonial head of the council and an elected councillor. Nottingham, for example put in its Workplace Parking Levy without a directly elected Mayor. Cambridge doesn't have a directly elected Mayor but is a cycling friendly city. And so on.
As I said before, directly elected Mayors are a populist smokescreen and councils can do a lot if there is political will.
Posted 1 year ago # -
mainly to get rid of a lot of Labour regional councillors...
And now ironically, Elected Mayors seems mostly a vehicle for Labour to try and find more positions to fill without having to do anything unpleasant like "figure out why the electorate keeps failing to elect us".
Posted 1 year ago # -
Alternatively…
“
Boris bikes idea wasn't stolen from Ken
“
https://amp.theguardian.com/theguardian/2014/jun/23/boris-johnson-bikes-ken-livingstone
Posted 1 year ago #
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