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One of the Government's flagship mayoral councils has come under fire from academics, who have called for radical proposals to rebuild its politics. The Stoke-on-Trent Governance Commission has called for radical changes at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which is the only local authority in England to have adopted the directly-elected mayor and council manager system. Prof Michael Clarke, who launched the report, said there was a ‘deep-seated malaise in the city's politics'. ‘We are dismayed at the extent to which the city's political system is damaged,' said Prof Clarke. The report will be an embarrassment for the Government, which is hoping more councils will adopt the directly-elected mayor system under new governance requirements in the Local Government Act 2007. It calls for the city council to move to all out four-yearly elections, and for the local authority to be given single-member wards. The report also calls for a new, devolved system of governance for the city at local level, a review of overview and scrutiny arrangements and more involvement for young people and Stoke-on-Trent's diverse communities. ‘At the same time, we have seen a whole-hearted commitment to and aspiration for Stoke-on-Trent from many people in the community,' added Prof Clarke. ‘I welcome the commission's thorough report and am keen that the recommendations it makes are acted on at the earliest opportunity,' said local government minister, John Healey. ‘We are already in discussion with the city council about how we can best support it as it takes forward these recommendations,' he added. Mark Meredith was directly elected as mayor in Stoke-on-Trent in May 2005. No-one from the council was available for comment.

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WHITEHALL

Mayoral councils come under fire

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