Who will hold these all-powerful local Mayors to account?

From: Michael Shaw, Huddersfield.

THE Government and the council leaders of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield councils wish to see the region have an elected mayor.

If adopted, the proposal would see some decisions currently made by central government being taken in the region.

Those promoting this deal see it as a way to increase economic development in West Yorkshire.

The mayor would have control over a multi-million pound budget. However, the mayor would not be directly accountable to anyone who has been elected for that purpose.

How can we be sure that the mayor is spending this money well and as we would wish?

How can we, as members of the public, ask questions about the mayor’s actions – the Mayor will have an electorate of over 1.5 million people?

The citizens of London have a mayor but that mayor (Sadiq Khan) is held to account by the London Assembly, elected by the people of London.

Why are the people of West Yorkshire not being offered such a system?

Why have we not been asked whether they want a mayor and, if we do, what sort of mayor we want?

A consultation is currently being run on this matter but the chief executive of my local authority has said “the result at the end of the consultation would still be a devolved arrangement with an elected mayor”.

This is not an open consultation in the sense of ‘let us know your views on all of this’.

As matters stand, we will gain a mayor, but at the expense of a loss of democracy.

From: Brian Darvell, Molescroft, Beverley.

OH dear Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore (The Yorkshire Post, June 19), your letter appears to be straight from the heart of Conservative Central office, full of cliches and soundbites.

You talk of world-leading responses to Covid-19, let’s hope it’s not like the ‘world-beating app’ and your ‘road-map to recovery’ is pitted with potholes and many U-turns. As for kickstarting the engine of recovery, it needs some fuel in the tank and a competent driver which seems unavailable at the moment.

From: Martin J. Phillips, Tinshill Lane, Leeds.

WHILE bus passengers are now compelled to wear a face covering, it would appear that the person who has the most social contact on the bus, i.e. the driver, is not required to wear a face covering.