Mayoral Referendum

[The Great Dictator]

Mayoral Referendum, can we have a show of hands who is in favour of an unnecessary expensive mayor ??

I'm against it and am thinking of organising a NO vote with a bit of help.

The Mail are obliged to give space to all opinions.

[Stevef]

Mayoral Referendum, can we have a show of hands who is in favour of an unnecessary expensive mayor ??

I'm against it and am thinking of organising a NO vote with a bit of help.

The Mail are obliged to give space to all opinions.

I don't think you will have any difficulty getting the Mail on board with this one.

Whilst it was labour who campaigned for the Mayoral  system, they did so with the arrogant belief that they would inevitable win the post for them self's. Ever since it became clear to them that Labour would properly never win the post, they came to see the position of Mayor as an obstacle to their aims.

As a result they have consistently done everything possible including endlessly changing the constitution to undermine that position.

The Mail being the mouthpiece of the labour party will I have no doubt do everything it can to swing the referendum against the mayoral system.

The problem will come when those who support the mayoral system try to get their message across.

[marky]

God knows Drummond has made some colossal mistakes and totally failed to provide the leadership that the role calls for but when you look at just how corrupt and self-serving the alternative is then to me it's a no brainer. I'll be voting to keep the elected Mayor system in the hope that someone better comes along next year.

[Julie noted]

testicles; I can understand your anger towards drummond and the way he has played with our money like confetti; 
the way he still insists he will organise another tall stories; his grot spot failures etc etc. 
But, as marky said, the alternative would be WORSE!! 
The Peer Review has said as much. Certain people in scrutiny committees have been acting without legal authority, making decisions they had no legal authority to make.
Imagine them being given legal power! 
No, to my mind we have to have the elected mayor.
I hasten to add, not drummond. When his tenure comes to an end we will have the opportunity to vote from a selection of 'proper' candidates...then this town will start to move forward.
Look past drummond...look to the FUTURE mayor. 

[The Great Dictator]

It can never be worse than an ELECTED MAYOR.

If the vote is YES then he will remain in power for another 11 years at a cost of £1m.

How can you say YES to a part time mayor

He set a precedent, any mayor can be part time on full wages 

[Julie noted]

Oh dear!
Sorry testicles, I was of the opinion his term was coming to an end and we would have an election of candidates for the position of elected mayor.
The system is crazy if it just allows him to carry on ad infinitum. 

That said, I'm still minded to vote for a mayor, rather than the undesirables infesting the kremlin at the moment.

[steveL]

Drummond is up for re-election in 2013 so it's up to the electorate if they want to vote someone else in then.

For the moment, I think it's far more important that we make sure that power isn't officially handed over to a bunch of self-enriching, power mad, liars who regard power as their birth-right and democracy and freedom of speech as a barrier to their dreams.

[testing times]

If there was a mayoral election tomorrow, the Labour Group would, for the 4th time, fail to get their own man elected. Why on earth should they be given the same level of control by the back door?

[steveL]

interesting point.....I can't actually think of a possible Labour candidate this time round if that were to be the case....they seem to have used up their options.

[The Great Dictator]

Ginger Brash, loads of cash..

[The Great Dictator]

  Looks like 11 more years of silence then 

[Vincent]

Just want to throw this into the pot for comment: -

"Paul Walker for Mayor"

If you think about it Mr Walker seems to be playing a very clever, long game

[steveL]

well if it was good enough for Putin.... we've done everything else to emulate The Kremlin 

[christine blakey]

We need accountability and the way things are running at the moment, there is none.  So why keep the same system as it could still be that someone gets in who does not have the needs of the whole town at heart.

With the Committee System, we may at least get rid of one excuse "It's the Mayor's fault" as people stand idly around doing nothing to mop up mess and change things as it is at the moment. 

As has been said: "A cross between the devil and the deep blue sea"; very apt near the beach and at Halloween! 

[Julie noted]

Oooooo, Christine; You infer that the current mayor does not have the interest of the town at heart. That implies that you think the alternative does.
Reading the peer Review should disabuse EVERYONE of that notion! 

Apart from wishing to line his pockets before the bubble bursts, I do think drummond had the town at heart; he is just out of his depth and incompetent.
I think most folks would be, thrust into the maelstrom of the kremlin.
(Yes, I know it was of his own volition).

It is said that an election for mayor is in 2013. So until then let's keep the fat 4 and their stooges well away from the 'official' driving seat and see if we can find a Duncan Bannatyne/Alan Sugar/Alex Ferguson (or a female of similar ilk..but I can't think of one at the moment!) and him/her turn it around and let the labour cabal taste fear. 
Let him/her do the bullying and cajoling behind closed doors, only this time for the good of the town and not for themselves.   
There has got to be someone of a strong enough character to take on the town hall bullies;      Where's heir hunter when you need him?!!!