Government proposals over the running of local councils will mean more ‘strong leaders’ across the country – like Tony Newman. Or Mike Fisher.
WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, reports

New rules: Labour’s local government minister Jim McMahon

The Labour government wants to “standardise” local council governance so that most local authorities are run by “strong leaders” together with a cabinet of councillor colleagues, and it will block councils from making the move to a mayoral system, as Croydon residents voted for in 2021.

But while no new mayors will be created, Croydon is stuck with Mayor Perry, or his successors, at least until 2031.

Details have begun to emerge of exactly what Labour’s White Paper on English Devolution might look like in reality, following a statement to the House of Commons yesterday by local government minister Jim McMahon.

This follows a speech made last December by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, in her role as Secretary of State for local government, in which she promised devolution across England, with a mayor for every region.

“Mayors are the government’s strong preference,” the government’s White Paper stated at paragraph 2.2.2.

But this means regional, strategic mayors, like Sir Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham, not jumped-up plastic guttering salesmen like Jason Perry, who has proved the job is beyond him in Croydon.

Wrong leader: Tony Newman preferred the ‘strong leader’ model

McMahon’s statement clarified the government’s position – and surprised many by taking the choice of council governance model out of the hands of local people altogether, while ruling out the option of having a committee-led system.

It is just four years since Croydon residents voted in a referendum in favour of switching to a mayoral system, determining that it is #ABitLessShit (© Inside Croydon 2021) than the previous, “strong leader” model.

The “strong leader” model is what got Croydon in the mess it is in now, first under Tory Mike Fisher (we’re still paying for his and Jason Perry’s £800million of debt accrued, including the folly of a glass palace council office) and then under Labour’s Tony Newman.

Newman’s Numpties in his cabinet were mostly gagged from speaking truth to power or blowing the whistle on ill-considered projects such as Brick by Brick. The gagging device was often stuffing their pockets full with publicly funded allowances of £40,000 per year, in the gift of Newman….

The policy wonks in Rayner’s Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reckon that they can save £2billion with a series of local council mergers, such as that being considered at the moment with Surrey County Council and the various district councils in the same area, such as Tandridge and Reigate and Banstead.

Rayner’s White Paper represents the biggest local government reorganisation for England in 50 years.

In London, there already exists a strategic tier of government, the Greater London Authority, under the city’s mayor. The London Mayor, with strategic overview of London’s planning, housing, policing and transport, already charges their own precept on Londoners’ Council Tax.

Another tier of “mini-mayors”, at borough level, as Croydon and four other London councils have, risks undermining “the optimal delivery” of services, according to the White Paper.

What McMahon’s statement to the house last night provides is some clarity on how those authorities lumbered with a mayoral system might proceed.

“At present there is a complex and opaque system which allows councils to operate one of three governance models: cabinet arrangements with a directly elected council mayor, leader and cabinet, or the committee system. As a result, councils are left with a complicated governance system.

“This can be confusing to the taxpayer, particularly in the case of the committee system, which can be unclear, duplicative and wasteful, leading to slower, less efficient decision-making,” the statement said.

Out of his depth: Jason Perry

“The government plans to legislate to abolish the committee system, requiring those councils currently operating this model to transition to the leader and cabinet model (which the vast majority of councils in England already currently operate). This will simplify the governance system and ensure all councils operate an executive form of governance, providing clarity on responsibility and accountability, and improving efficiency in decision-making.”

McMahon reckons that, “This change will provide clearer, more easily understood structures at a local level, improving efficiency and preventing authorities from wasting taxpayer funds on needless changes to systems of governance.” Note that: “needless changes to systems of governance”. Ooo.

McMahon might be accused of labouring that point: elsewhere in his statement, he said, “These changes will prevent taxpayers’ money from being unduly wasted on administrative processes which will ultimately bring no benefit or change.”

Finally after six months of an absence of clarity, McMahon explained what all this might mean for Croydon and another dozen councils with elected mayors.

“The government recognises there are several directly elected local council mayors currently in place, and we propose to accept the continuation of these 13 legacy directly elected council mayors, while introducing measures to ensure a more consistent approach by not facilitating the creation of new ones.”

This will apply to councils, such as Surrey and its district councils, undergoing reorganisation now or in the future, “…regardless of whether any constituent part currently has a legacy directly elected council mayor”.

McMahon mentioned “pre-existing routes” for councils already with mayors to switch to the leader and cabinet model, “where they wish to do so”.

Croydon counting: the borough appears to be stuck with an elected mayor at least until 2031, the earliest that a new referendum might be staged

This refers to the possibility of having a referendum to remove the mayoral system – though as the law stands, this cannot be held until 10 years after any previous referendum to switch to having a mayor.

For Croydon, that means 2031 at the earliest.

Otherwise, as far as Labour is concerned, mayors are the way to go, but only for strategic regions. “Directly elected regional Mayors continue to be a prerequisite for significant devolution of powers and funding: it is at this strategic level that the single focal point of leadership for the area and direct electoral accountability is considered to work best.”

This, McMahon said, will enable “decisions to be taken, more easily, at the most effective level of government… with local authorities tackling big challenges in service delivery lead by a leader and their cabinet”.

McMahon claims that his proposals will introduce “streamlined, consistent and accountable governance structures… paving the way for a more efficient, transparent and responsive local government system”.

He’s clearly never met Tony Newman. Or Mike Fisher.

Read more: Croydon votes 4-to-1 in favour of having directly elected mayor
Reed more: MP Reed admits live on air: ‘I’m not anti mayoral system’
Read more: Nothing adds up as Labour plays numbers game over mayor

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