Comments on: Isn’t it time that Birmingham became a full-fledged Metropolis?

By: Jon Hunt

Jon Hunt — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:34:29 +0000

What devolution has shown in Birmingham is that breaking up a city is hard to do. If you take the Perry Barr district, where I am, three of its four libraries sit on its outer boundaries and provide at least half their services to people outside the district. The same issue arises across the city where district committees are not necessarily providing services to their own residents. We could do with a layer of proper democracy beneath city level. Birmingham has devolved substantial funds to ward level and there are some interesting things going on in terms of local budgeting and commissioning – but also a number of questions about the purpose of the project and its sustainability.

By: Regionalist

Regionalist — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:08:10 +0000

There may be a case for smaller local councils operating below City level and the power to petition for a local community (parish) council already exists. However, until local government per se is recognised as a legally protected system with defined rights – including independent tax raising powers – creating more lower tiers of government is a limited solution. Without such constitutional rights central governments of all parties will continue to treat local government as both whipping boy and plaything.
Comparisons with London only go so far. Uniquely London has both local and regional government. Once, Birmingham shared a similar two tier system with London when we operated alongside the West Midlands Metropolitan County. Mrs Thatcher abolished this, along with century-old London regional government in 1986. Under Tony Blair only London had its regional government restored.
The West Midlands including Brum, needs to start demanding parity with London. Restoring the Met County powers would be a start. Or must we continue to be treated like a colonial province with all key decisions taken in Whitehall?

By: SpringfieldAwan

SpringfieldAwan — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:39:37 +0000

Will the streets be any cleaner? I doubt it.

By: Gerry

Gerry — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 13:50:12 +0000

Bigger is not necessarily better, the assumption would be that either a federation of local authorities or borough structure of local government would be able to function given a variance in political allegiances within a ‘Metroplolis’ structure or Greater Birmingham Metropolitan Council.

Localism is partly about smaller political structures and people being given greater power to ensure services in their locality are delivered as they need and want them to be delivered.

Why not just allow the Members of Parliament in a region such as the West Midlands to govern it and to dictate to local councillors, policy and strategy?

I vote for a local councillor that I can speak to about issues and one that is concerned with Birmingham and its prosperity, I do not want yet another more remote political structure that has little accountability to me and would just provide more money to councillors that took part in that structure, via special responsibility allowances and would act as a spring board for political advancement to MP or MEP status.

It would appear that Birmingham cannot even get its bin bags collected over the holiday period, Birmingham Council should concentrate on getting things right here before any consideration of having a greater federation of local councils. We had a West Midlands County Council, that was enough for some of us to realise bigger was not better.

By: Mirza Ahmad

Mirza Ahmad — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:51:08 +0000

Whilst this “thought” of a Greater Birmingham is not new, it’s delivery will be impossible to achieve when local and regional politicians can not think beyond their local authority boundaries.
Greater Manchester Authorities have been able to “meet and do business” but each LA remains autonomous and do not take direction from Manchester Council.
Likewise, the Mayor of London and the Corporation of London do not dictate their will on other London boroughs on all matters relating to London- there are separation of powers and autonomy for London Boroughs enshrined in law.
Accodrindingly, for the “thought” to be really successful in comparison to London as opposed to the voluntary Manchester set up, Parliament must pass appropriate laws, which will not happen if the local and regional politicians have no appetite for the same.
So, OK to continue the “thought” but it will not materialise unless the public rise up against their politicians…not something that I anticipate happening on this “thought”.