I FEEL sure that the vast majority of electors in Bolton are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to vote for a Greater Manchester Elected Mayor next May – or perhaps not!
The process of creating this new level of governance (or bureaucracy if you like) is proceeding apace, seemingly on the model of ‘making it up as you go along’
One thing that might dampen residents' enthusiasm for this scheme is discovering that there will be a further levy imposed on their Council Tax to pay for it. How much that will be we don’t know but it certainly comes under the heading of a ‘blank cheque’.
Another disturbing feature is giving the GMCA the ability to borrow money. Why they should need to borrow money or what this borrowing could be secured against is difficult to see since the GMCA (unlike the constituent councils) doesn’t own anything.
There is also uncertainty as to whether or not the new Conservative administration is as keen on this Devolution thing as George Osbourne was.
I personally cannot help but think that this unwanted and unnecessary new layer of administration has the potential to unravel in a spectacular way.
What is without doubt is that it waters down Local Democracy as we have known it up to now.
We didn’t vote for this Devolution. Will anybody vote for the Elected Mayor?
Paul Richardson
Ripon Close
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