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| All eyes on Bath as mayoral referendum nears | All eyes on Bath as mayoral referendum nears |
| (6 months later) | |
| Campaigners Philip Raby and Stephen Taylor are roaming the streets of Bath wearing sandwich boards emblazoned with the slogan: “Choose change.” | Campaigners Philip Raby and Stephen Taylor are roaming the streets of Bath wearing sandwich boards emblazoned with the slogan: “Choose change.” |
| Paul the pigeon man, a familiar character who feeds the birds outside the abbey, sounds impressed. “We need someone to do more for the people of the city – more housing, more jobs, more help for the ordinary people,” he says. “I’m all for change.” | Paul the pigeon man, a familiar character who feeds the birds outside the abbey, sounds impressed. “We need someone to do more for the people of the city – more housing, more jobs, more help for the ordinary people,” he says. “I’m all for change.” |
| Shoppers, small-business people and students stop and chat with Raby and Taylor, some agreeing that a directly elected mayor for the city and surrounding towns and villages would be a great idea, others instinctively opposed to the idea of a new political post being introduced. | Shoppers, small-business people and students stop and chat with Raby and Taylor, some agreeing that a directly elected mayor for the city and surrounding towns and villages would be a great idea, others instinctively opposed to the idea of a new political post being introduced. |
| On 10 March the citizens of Bath and north-east Somerset (Banes) will get to vote in a referendum on whether they should be given the chance to elect their equivalent of London’s mayor, Boris Johnson. | On 10 March the citizens of Bath and north-east Somerset (Banes) will get to vote in a referendum on whether they should be given the chance to elect their equivalent of London’s mayor, Boris Johnson. |
| Champions of the concept across England and Wales are watching with huge interest, believing that Bath backing the idea would trigger a wave of campaigns to get elected mayors. | Champions of the concept across England and Wales are watching with huge interest, believing that Bath backing the idea would trigger a wave of campaigns to get elected mayors. |
| Residents of Cardiff, Cumbria and Plymouth are either dallying with the idea or actively pursuing it. At a time when the chancellor, George Osborne, is keen to devolve power to the regions, it is a good test of how the elected-mayor system is being received on the ground. | Residents of Cardiff, Cumbria and Plymouth are either dallying with the idea or actively pursuing it. At a time when the chancellor, George Osborne, is keen to devolve power to the regions, it is a good test of how the elected-mayor system is being received on the ground. |
| But there is opposition in Bath. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative MP for North-East Somerset is against, as his Tory colleague, Ben Howlett, the member for Bath. The ruling Tory party in Banes, along with the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Greens, have all united against. | But there is opposition in Bath. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative MP for North-East Somerset is against, as his Tory colleague, Ben Howlett, the member for Bath. The ruling Tory party in Banes, along with the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Greens, have all united against. |
| “There’s no big thinking going on here,” said Raby, a long-term resident and founder of the Bath film festival. “No strategic vision for the area. There’s no figurehead who can push through projects that will make this place exciting and vibrant.” | “There’s no big thinking going on here,” said Raby, a long-term resident and founder of the Bath film festival. “No strategic vision for the area. There’s no figurehead who can push through projects that will make this place exciting and vibrant.” |
| Given the lack of mainstream political support, it is remarkable that there is going to be a mayoral referendum at all. It was down to a merry band of a couple of dozen activists who spent countless hours gathering the signatures needed to spark a referendum. In the end they got 9,000 to buy into the idea. | Given the lack of mainstream political support, it is remarkable that there is going to be a mayoral referendum at all. It was down to a merry band of a couple of dozen activists who spent countless hours gathering the signatures needed to spark a referendum. In the end they got 9,000 to buy into the idea. |
| They argue that an elected mayor is chosen by everyone, not just the councillors from the largest political group (37 Tories in Banes’s case). They claim an elected mayor would cut through red tape, get more done, take a longer-term view, make difficult decisions on issues such as Bath’s chronic traffic problems. They also believe an elected mayor would be a higher profile figure for the city and area. | They argue that an elected mayor is chosen by everyone, not just the councillors from the largest political group (37 Tories in Banes’s case). They claim an elected mayor would cut through red tape, get more done, take a longer-term view, make difficult decisions on issues such as Bath’s chronic traffic problems. They also believe an elected mayor would be a higher profile figure for the city and area. |
| A quick straw poll in Bath reveals that very few people know who the leader of the council is (it is councillor Tim Warren, who represents the ward of Mendip). More have heard of George Ferguson, the red-trousered, charismatic figure who leads neighbouring Bristol. | A quick straw poll in Bath reveals that very few people know who the leader of the council is (it is councillor Tim Warren, who represents the ward of Mendip). More have heard of George Ferguson, the red-trousered, charismatic figure who leads neighbouring Bristol. |
| Campaigner Stephen Taylor, who worked with directly elected mayors elsewhere in his former role within the Leadership Centre for Local Government, believes Bath’s beauty and history has made it complacent. “It is resting on its laurels. It needs to be more ambitious. Bath could be one of the great little cities of the world.” | Campaigner Stephen Taylor, who worked with directly elected mayors elsewhere in his former role within the Leadership Centre for Local Government, believes Bath’s beauty and history has made it complacent. “It is resting on its laurels. It needs to be more ambitious. Bath could be one of the great little cities of the world.” |
| The directly elected mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, has offered her support to the Bath campaign. She said council leaders were elected by a “clique” of councillors. “Do you want your town or area to be run by a person you vote for, who is accountable to you, or by someone who is selected by a small group of councillors who can pull their strings?” she said. “Politicians dislike mayors because they can’t push them around.” | The directly elected mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, has offered her support to the Bath campaign. She said council leaders were elected by a “clique” of councillors. “Do you want your town or area to be run by a person you vote for, who is accountable to you, or by someone who is selected by a small group of councillors who can pull their strings?” she said. “Politicians dislike mayors because they can’t push them around.” |
| The naysayers in Bath argue that a mayor will cost more – they say his or her salary is likely to be double the allowance the leader receives now – and could bring in pricey external advisers. They say the role would not work in a place like Banes, which is part-urban but also very rural. And they make the argument that, in fact, a mayor is less accountable: there is no way to remove him or her between elections and he only needs to secure the support of a third of the council to get his budget through. | The naysayers in Bath argue that a mayor will cost more – they say his or her salary is likely to be double the allowance the leader receives now – and could bring in pricey external advisers. They say the role would not work in a place like Banes, which is part-urban but also very rural. And they make the argument that, in fact, a mayor is less accountable: there is no way to remove him or her between elections and he only needs to secure the support of a third of the council to get his budget through. |
| Warren is clearly frustrated that his Tory party is having to spend time and money campaigning. They feel they need to. If there is a very small turnout the Choose Change campaign might well win – the 9,000 people who have signed their petition are likely to mainly vote in favour. “But I don’t see an elected mayor as being necessary or beneficial,” said Warren. “It’s a distraction when we have a lot of work to do.” | Warren is clearly frustrated that his Tory party is having to spend time and money campaigning. They feel they need to. If there is a very small turnout the Choose Change campaign might well win – the 9,000 people who have signed their petition are likely to mainly vote in favour. “But I don’t see an elected mayor as being necessary or beneficial,” said Warren. “It’s a distraction when we have a lot of work to do.” |