Comments on: How to solve the ‘Birmingham problem’: devolution and an elected mayor https://thechamberlainfiles.com/how-to-solve-the-birmingham-problem-devolution-and-an-elected-mayor/ Politics, LEPs and economic development in the West Midlands Mon, 17 Mar 2014 11:05:33 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jon Hunt https://thechamberlainfiles.com/how-to-solve-the-birmingham-problem-devolution-and-an-elected-mayor/#comment-8147 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 17:52:12 +0000 https://thechamberlainfiles.com/?p=13098#comment-8147 The ten districts simply do not work as self-standing local government units. My own district largely provides liibrary services (3 libraries on its outer edges) to its neighbours and uses their neighbourhood offices in return. We need to be more daring about devolution. Worth taking a look at all the urban district councils etc that Birmingham absorbed over the last century.

]]> By: Andrew Lydon https://thechamberlainfiles.com/how-to-solve-the-birmingham-problem-devolution-and-an-elected-mayor/#comment-8137 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 15:02:51 +0000 https://thechamberlainfiles.com/?p=13098#comment-8137 Birmingham is too big to be one unit. I should never have been one unit. But there was a political and economic logic to it back in 1911 when Neville Chamberlain was pushing it through. http://localisewestmidlands.org.uk/2013/adam-smiths-invisible-hand-and-visible-hands-in-birmingham/

]]> By: Ann Marie Gallagher https://thechamberlainfiles.com/how-to-solve-the-birmingham-problem-devolution-and-an-elected-mayor/#comment-8136 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 12:35:34 +0000 https://thechamberlainfiles.com/?p=13098#comment-8136 we do have 10 districts -I don’t want to pay local taxes -I already pay too much tax -maybe councillors and mps can volunteer ? as they are so fond of the idea for the rest of us-poor, disabled,unemployed etc #shareoutpaidwork -why have mps and councillors got more than one job ? the poor need paid work but we are obsessed with paying the rich who do not need any more money !

]]> By: davidbfpo https://thechamberlainfiles.com/how-to-solve-the-birmingham-problem-devolution-and-an-elected-mayor/#comment-8129 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 11:02:02 +0000 https://thechamberlainfiles.com/?p=13098#comment-8129 If local government is to be reduced to a few key services, such as child & adult protection, isn’t the size of the city council enough? Leaving aside the dire record of both Councillors and professionals in the area of child protection for many years – whereupon we get a Whitehall “mandarin” as the solution.

Apart from devolution to Scotland and Wales has Westminster-Whitehall, as the English national government, shown any inclination to give tax-raising powers to local authorities? No. Statements of intent abound, whether it is called ‘localism’ or devolution. There is no evidence that a council like Birmingham will get tax-raising powers.

If ‘strategic issues such as economic development, transport and planning’ are to become a key task (not service) for Birmingham, what happens to the LEP(s) and all the other quangos?

So Gisela and Paul is an elected mayor really going to help?

I think the answer is clear and as the voters have already decided an elected mayor is not their choice. So can we please have a NEW strategy, not a re-run of the old ones.

]]> By: urbancomms https://thechamberlainfiles.com/how-to-solve-the-birmingham-problem-devolution-and-an-elected-mayor/#comment-8133 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 10:44:26 +0000 https://thechamberlainfiles.com/?p=13098#comment-8133 @GiselaStuart on solving the ‘Birmingham question’ http://t.co/uPTDt37rQb #thinkcities

]]> By: ianrobo1 https://thechamberlainfiles.com/how-to-solve-the-birmingham-problem-devolution-and-an-elected-mayor/#comment-8131 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 10:42:14 +0000 https://thechamberlainfiles.com/?p=13098#comment-8131 @ChamberlainFile in the hands of one person ? who then like in London ignores the wishes of the democratic elected council

]]> By: ianrobo1 https://thechamberlainfiles.com/how-to-solve-the-birmingham-problem-devolution-and-an-elected-mayor/#comment-8132 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 10:41:26 +0000 https://thechamberlainfiles.com/?p=13098#comment-8132 @ChamberlainFile the elected mayor fight was lost by a big margin, just get over it. Why would any democrat want to put all the power

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