Cornwall Council to examine directly elected mayor option

“How very wise TheodoreV is. One would like to feel people like Andrew George and Kevin Lavery read these comments and understand what is being said. But one gets the feeling that they are part of the problem rather than anything approaching a solution.”

“Anyone with a perspective of local government longer than their nose will be aware of two trends: first a reduction in real functions and second an increasing remoteness in how the remainder are discharged. When in doubt a cat licks. When in doubt, government re-organises. No government promises to make local government more distant and less important but every government in the last half century has. Paradoxically as it does so, more staff are required and the costs increase. Just consider for a moment the situation with the old Borough of Penzance, the staffing of which was small enough to fit on the steps of St Johns Hall. It looked after at one time water supply (now privatised), policing (first moving to county then jointly with Devon), fire (to County), public housing (now Devon and Cornwall Association) refuse collection and disposal, street cleaning and public conveniences is on the way out, meat inspection and public health largely taken over by government quango's, education is going private etc. etc. Finally local control was killed off by the demise of the Penzance Borough in 1974 and latterly the Penwith District. Welfare payments went to the State as did the management of the local hospital and we all know where that has led. The cost in local rates, water rates, taxes has as a result increased exponentially. Are we better governed or in receipt of better services as a result? Hmmmmm I'll let you decide on that one.”

“I was going to comment lightheartedly along the lines of 'as long as I don't end up with a bunch of electric bike storage/charging bays outside my place then fine'. But having read other comments I am, sadly, reminded that, in an age when those who achieve anything near 'high office' in politics/banking/judiciary etc. etc. invariably end up with their snout in the vast trough of corruption, then what chance is there of this mayor being of any genuine benefit to the County whatsoever? I fear very little chance indeed.”

“Whats the point when they are privatising most of the services? Unless, of course, the Mayor will be so powerful and unanswerable to councillors that s/he could finish the job.”

“Another layer of bureaucracy, another salary, another set of expenses, another election to be organised and paid for, another... well you get the picture.”

“where would this person come from? no doubt it will be a friend of someone on the already over paid executive brigade and not be local. the beginning of yet another slippery slope for cornwall.”