An Elected Mayor of Hyndburn

Ken Moss · 27-10-2010, 16:27

My feelings on the matter can be seen here:

An elected mayor is not the way (From Lancashire Telegraph)

What do we all think? Am I in a minority that doesn't want an elected Mayor? Does anyone really care one way or the another?

Discuss.

JCB · 27-10-2010, 17:46

What you say makes sense to me .

As you point out it would be a lot of power in one pair of hands .

Also the present position of mayor should show respect to the borough's first citizen .It is his role to carry out the traditional mayoral duties .

jaysay · 27-10-2010, 17:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

My feelings on the matter can be seen here:

An elected mayor is not the way (From Lancashire Telegraph)

What do we all think? Am I in a minority that doesn't want an elected Mayor? Does anyone really care one way or the another?

Discuss.

I'm totally with you here Ken, think it would be a backward step, why do we always have to try and copy the bloody Yanks

lancsdave · 27-10-2010, 17:53

I'm not even going to read the article. The fact this has cropped up now and we can guess why, I say NO

jaysay · 27-10-2010, 18:00

Didn't they try this in Hartlepool and elected Angus the Monkey or somat

Barrie Yates · 27-10-2010, 18:15

IMHO the leader of the strongest party in the council should be the de facto Mayor/Mayoress.
Just one hypothetical question - if an election for the position came into being would Ken be in the running for that position?

jaysay · 27-10-2010, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates

IMHO the leader of the strongest party in the council should be the de facto Mayor/Mayoress.
Just one hypothetical question - if an election for the position came into being would Ken be in the running for that position?

No disrespect to Ken, but I think he would need a few years experience as councillor first Barrie, but I think in years to come Ken will be great asset to Hyndburn, once he's got the Monkey off his back

heth · 27-10-2010, 18:26

Agree with you Ken totally, no point what-so-ever in having one!

DaveinGermany · 27-10-2010, 18:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

once he's got the Monkey off his back

As opposed to the present 180kg Gorilla ?

katex · 27-10-2010, 18:56

Bit puzzled .. who suggests changes like this in the first place ?

The position of Mayor would possibly become a little too political. We always respect our Mayor as a sort of royalty of the town that comes along in his glory to open events and make presentations, to say nothing of raising money for charity. I can't remember in the past (correct me if I am wrong), that a Mayor has particularly given political speeches whilst carrying out these duties, which is as it should be. A bit of show business, pomp and ceremony is good.

No, leave well alone I say.

Tealeaf · 27-10-2010, 19:23

Oppose this at all costs. Last week, here in LBTH a member of the Taleban (Rahman) was elected mayor, with the full support of Labour's Ken Livinstone who campaigned against the official labour candidate - he of course, is the official Labour candidate to take on Boris in a year or so.

You may think Britcliffe may be bad, but at least he ain't a terrorist.

Read more about it here:

The Tower Hamlets Mayoral Election - Londonist

Margaret Pilkington · 27-10-2010, 19:52

If it isn't broke(n).......it doesn't need fixing. I'm with Kate on this one.
Leave it alone.

Ken Moss · 27-10-2010, 20:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

No disrespect to Ken, but I think he would need a few years experience as councillor first Barrie, but I think in years to come Ken will be great asset to Hyndburn, once he's got the Monkey off his back

No disrespect taken, John, you're quite right. The Mayor is a great feather to put in your cap but you need to have the gravitas of experience to properly carry it off, something I don't fully have yet.

I hope I have many years service to give to the borough and I thank you all for your nice comments. Much as I may bitch about the flaws in the system, it is a huge honour to be elected onto the council and represent the many thousands of others who live around me.

cashman · 27-10-2010, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

If it isn't broke(n).......it doesn't need fixing. I'm with Kate on this one.
Leave it alone.

and then there were 3, leave as is.

Ken Moss · 27-10-2010, 20:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by katex

Bit puzzled .. who suggests changes like this in the first place ?

We're told it's a legal requirement to have a vote on it by the end of the year.

I suspect that whenever the vote is scheduled on the council agenda that meeting will not be at a time convenient for the Labour councillors, most of whom actually work for a living.

That's always been Peter Britcliffe's tactic in the past when he needs to get something through and it's a great way of enabling the elected representatives to truly serve the borough, isn't it?