Fears West Mids mayor could be forced on city by its neighbours
FEARS have been raised that a mayor could be forced on Birmingham by voters in Coventry, the Black Country and Solihull.
Concern focuses on the date that the Government has chosen to hold mayoral elections.
Ministers have decided to hold the first election for a West Midlands mayor in 2017, with further elections held in 2020 and every four years after that.
The Government says this is because local council elections also take place in 2020 – and it says that holding the mayoral election at the same time will mean there is a higher turnout.
But Birmingham will not hold local elections at the same time as neighbouring councils.
Instead, Birmingham has elections in 2018, and every four years following that.
And if the Government’s theory is right, it means that turnout will be higher in other parts of the West Midlands than it will be in Birmingham.
MPs raised concerns in a House of Commons hearing as they discussed legislation which will officially create the post of West Midlands mayor.
Warley MP John Spellar (Lab) told ministers: “If the all-out election is in 2018, there will be a succession of all-out elections every four years... the department has set out its justification for having a three-year term and thereafter coinciding with the cycle.
“For a massive chunk always be out of sync.”
MP Gisela Stuart (Lab, Birmingham Edgbaston) said: “In the case of Birmingham, which is the largest authority, 2017 is the one year when it is not having local elections... We will have an all-out election in 2018 on new boundaries.”
But local government minister Andrew Percy, representing the Government, initially appeared to be unaware that Birmingham would have no local elections in 2020. He said: “It will be a threeyear term, with the following election in 2020, which I assume is not an off-year for Birmingham.”
The mayor will have responsibility for transport including buses, and may eventually take over responsibility for local rail services. They will have planning powers and responsibility for providing more homes.
And the mayor will also chair the new West Midlands Combined Authority, which will take on responsibility for funding of £36.5 million a year over 30 years to spend in infrastructure such as it will better more.
Candidates expected to stand include Labour MEP Sion Simon and businesswomen Beverley Nielsen, who has been chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate. John Lewis boss Andy Street has applied to become the Conservative candidate. Many councils elect a third of councillors at a time, and hold elections for three years out of four.
It means that Coventry, for example, has local elections in 2020 – when a mayoral election takes place. Coventry will also hold local elections at the same time as a mayor is elected in 2024, 2028 and every four years after that.
But Birmingham has introduced a different system, as a result of a review by Lord Kerslake, which reccomended a series of changes to the way the council works. It will elect every councillor at the same time, every four years.
Birmingham is due to hold local elections in 2018, 2022, 2026 and 2030.
It means that other parts of the West Midlands are due to hold local elections in the same year as mayoral elections take place, but Birmingham will not.
And this could mean that turnout is higher in other parts of the West Midlands than in Birmingham. roads or rail links, and