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Doubts cast over rural England elected mayor plans | Doubts cast over rural England elected mayor plans |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Plans for new elected mayors announced in the Budget by the government should be abandoned, Conservatives have said. | Plans for new elected mayors announced in the Budget by the government should be abandoned, Conservatives have said. |
Local councillors and some MPs say mayors for three rural parts of England will add an expensive and unwanted extra tier of government. | Local councillors and some MPs say mayors for three rural parts of England will add an expensive and unwanted extra tier of government. |
Councils could reject the idea and opt out of new authorities in Lincolnshire, the west of England and East Anglia, North Somerset MP Liam Fox said. | Councils could reject the idea and opt out of new authorities in Lincolnshire, the west of England and East Anglia, North Somerset MP Liam Fox said. |
The government says it wants to help the local economy and devolve power. | The government says it wants to help the local economy and devolve power. |
Some Conservative councillors in the rural areas intend to try to block the policy, which will not be imposed on unwilling areas. | Some Conservative councillors in the rural areas intend to try to block the policy, which will not be imposed on unwilling areas. |
In his Budget in March, Chancellor George Osborne announced plans for elected mayors in the three areas. | In his Budget in March, Chancellor George Osborne announced plans for elected mayors in the three areas. |
Local authorities will vote on whether or not to accept detailed proposals by the end of June. | Local authorities will vote on whether or not to accept detailed proposals by the end of June. |
MPs dilemma | MPs dilemma |
North West Norfolk MP Sir Henry Bellingham, said people would feel no affinity to a new authority and elections for a new mayor would attract a "pathetic" turnout. | North West Norfolk MP Sir Henry Bellingham, said people would feel no affinity to a new authority and elections for a new mayor would attract a "pathetic" turnout. |
He told the Today programme on Radio 4: "Now I don't want a regional leader coming along and saying look 'Henry you've been a bad boy, I gather you don't want this incinerator, you don't want these houses, well actually the region do want it and I'd like you to have it'. | He told the Today programme on Radio 4: "Now I don't want a regional leader coming along and saying look 'Henry you've been a bad boy, I gather you don't want this incinerator, you don't want these houses, well actually the region do want it and I'd like you to have it'. |
"That is going to put MPs in a very difficult position and change their constitutional position." | "That is going to put MPs in a very difficult position and change their constitutional position." |
While he supported the idea of devolution, he said plans for a new mayor should be put on hold. | While he supported the idea of devolution, he said plans for a new mayor should be put on hold. |
'Unstoppable momentum' | 'Unstoppable momentum' |
A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said it was making "huge progress" in making local areas more powerful by devolving power from Whitehall. | A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said it was making "huge progress" in making local areas more powerful by devolving power from Whitehall. |
A source close to the chancellor said: "The devolution revolution taking place across the country has unstoppable momentum behind it." | A source close to the chancellor said: "The devolution revolution taking place across the country has unstoppable momentum behind it." |
Six new authorities, which will have elected mayors, have been established in mainly urban areas, with another expected this summer. | Six new authorities, which will have elected mayors, have been established in mainly urban areas, with another expected this summer. |
Conservative sceptics argue the plans will not work in rural areas. | Conservative sceptics argue the plans will not work in rural areas. |
Passing extra powers to large authorities with accountable, high-profile mayors is one of the Mr Osborne's central aims. | Passing extra powers to large authorities with accountable, high-profile mayors is one of the Mr Osborne's central aims. |
'Bottom-up process' | 'Bottom-up process' |
Privately, some Conservatives have compared it to the government's attempt to turn all English schools into academies, accusing it of forcing the plan on reluctant councils. | Privately, some Conservatives have compared it to the government's attempt to turn all English schools into academies, accusing it of forcing the plan on reluctant councils. |
One said councils had been "bribed and bullied" in a bid to make them accept the idea. | One said councils had been "bribed and bullied" in a bid to make them accept the idea. |
But a DCLG spokesman said: "The government is making huge progress towards rebalancing the economy and empowering local areas through the devolution of powers and resources away from Whitehall to local people. | But a DCLG spokesman said: "The government is making huge progress towards rebalancing the economy and empowering local areas through the devolution of powers and resources away from Whitehall to local people. |
"Ministers have been repeatedly clear that devolution is a genuinely bottom-up process - all proposals are agreed by local leaders, and the government will not impose an arrangement on any area." | |
Chris Skidmore, the Conservative MP for Kingswood near Bristol, said he supported the idea, and a new West of England mayor would create a "powerhouse in the south". | |
Directly-elected mayors would be put in place, he said, even if some authorities chose not to take part. He said: "If one council decides they don't want to do a deal, the other three will go ahead with the same pot of money given to those three councils." | |
Huge cost | Huge cost |
Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson, who has secured a House of Commons debate on the topic, said politicians would not give the government a "blank cheque" to sign up for more local government with a weak mayor. | Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson, who has secured a House of Commons debate on the topic, said politicians would not give the government a "blank cheque" to sign up for more local government with a weak mayor. |
He said: "It's not something when you're talking of spending hundreds of millions of pounds over the next 30 years that any responsible elected politician accountable to their electorate can sign up to." | He said: "It's not something when you're talking of spending hundreds of millions of pounds over the next 30 years that any responsible elected politician accountable to their electorate can sign up to." |
North East Somerset Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg is also opposed. | North East Somerset Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg is also opposed. |
The leader of the Conservative group on Norfolk County Council, Cliff Jordan said he thought the council would reject the policy. | The leader of the Conservative group on Norfolk County Council, Cliff Jordan said he thought the council would reject the policy. |
The Labour leader of the Council George Nobbs supports the idea of devolution but also opposes the policy in its current form. | The Labour leader of the Council George Nobbs supports the idea of devolution but also opposes the policy in its current form. |
Cambridgeshire County Council, which has a Conservative leader, has already voted to oppose the plan as it stands. | Cambridgeshire County Council, which has a Conservative leader, has already voted to oppose the plan as it stands. |
The Local Government Association wants local areas to be able to accept new powers and extra funding offered by the Treasury without having elected mayors. | |
A spokesman said: "People should be free to choose the appropriate model of robust governance for their community." |
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