Published late April, 2012 (say 25th); in response to a spin doctor's piece about an Executive Mayor for Nottingham in the Nottingham Post (I think).
The first option is best for Nottingham in 467 words.
That the focus of how a city should be run should be reduced to one individual highlights just how facile modern politics can be.
For the election race for the Mayor in London has not just got highly personal, but also got stuck on candidates' tax returns.
And would-be reformers want us to say yes to that?
The latest article "YES to a Mayor for Nottingham. In 300 words." doesn't stay on the merits of an elected Executive Mayor for long.
Instead, it uses the open threat from central government that Nottingham will be denied rights and opportunities if local Nottingham people don't want what national government says. Not nice, and certainly not localist.
And not actually in place! Heseltine is reported as being disappointed that the new powers for Executive Mayors have not agreed before the referendum.
Then, amazingly, the argument goes to a question not even on the ballot paper - that the (most-purpose) local authority for Nottingham should reflect the conurbation.
And that existing city councillors are against for narrow reasons.
All overlooking two major obstacles to any such change. 1. When a wider city was mooted in the seventies, the towns surrounding Nottingham ran a strong campaign against. 2. Part of the wider city is in Derbyshire.
look forward to someone, somewhere deciding to launch such a campaign and fighting such a referendum. But I think people will say in this time of such economic and social crisis, find something better to do. And would-be reformers lecture us about relevance!
As for concerns about party politics, it is a necessary part of a free society that people organise in groups to deliver change. Indeed, the test of any free society is the existence of political parties competing to run government. However much it might frustrate council officials.
The article at least acknowledges an elected Executive Mayor will cost more.
But it doesn't acknowledge the irrelevance of such a change in a city which supports one political party so strongly. Including in areas like Mapperley, Sherwood, Rise Park, Bakersfield and Wollaton East. This level of support is not a given. But a reflection of the outward looking approach of Labour Councillors in Nottingham. Nottingham Labour does not take people for granted and contact rates are probably as high as any party achieves in the country.
"an already high-achieving council" - well indeed. Safer, cleaner, brighter, greener than most. So why change?
As for the crude test of knowing the Leader's name, well sorry, never been an issue on the doorstep, even in the good old days of Dennis Pettitt.
"The referendum is not a Yes/ No question". So stop the nonsense about the "Yes" word carrying more karma than the "No" word.
Treat us with a bit more respect. Vote for the first option.