Mayoral remit should exceed city boundaries, report says

A REPORT into plans to introduce city mayors has called for them to have a formal remit that extends beyond their city boundaries.

Voters in ten English cities – including Manchester – go to the polls on May 3 to vote in a referendum on whether they want a city mayor. If the answer is yes then the elections to pick the candidates will be held in November. In Liverpool and Salford, Mayoral elections are already underway.

In Greater Manchester, many political leaders – including Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese – have argued that elected mayors should be appointed on a city-region level covering all ten boroughs.

Now a research commission launched by the University of Warwick has warned that the Government’s drive to encourage cities to adopt elected mayors cannot provide a one-size-fits-all solution and supports calls for mayors to have a say in what goes on beyond the city they were elected to represent.

Warwick’s team interviewed 42 mayors, staff and senior council figures in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US before drawing its conclusions.

Research director Professor Keith Grint, said: “The areas people identify with are not bounded necessarily by city council boundaries. Mayors are more likely to be effective, both in supporting the economy and making effective decisions for local citizens, if they are responsible for functioning economic areas.”