Local government could go for mayors if the Government gave them extra powers in exchange, according to the chairman of the Local Government Association. Speaking in London last week, Sir Simon Milton acknowledged the sector had been ‘lukewarm' about switching to directly-elected mayors, which were now back on the agenda for the local government White Paper. He put this down to a ‘lack of power'. He added: ‘If a mayoral model is to have any legitimacy, it has to be accompanied with real powers over a local area,' However, he also claimed: ‘The real debate is not about whether you have a leader or a mayor, but whether that leadership position is directly or indirectly elected, and what powers it has.' He wanted to see powers of accountability over policing and health. In addition, he called for devolution of responsibilities for transport, housing, skills, economic development and their associated capital budgets. Also speaking at the IPPR/LGA conference, local government minister John Healey, once again told councils to use the powers available to them to raise cash. He said local authorities should make more use of powers to trade, the power of well-being and charging in order to shape their policies and their finances. ‘By all means, make the case for more powers, more freedoms, more innovation, but make use of those you already have. This surely must be at the heart of the new central/local relationship,' he said.
