Lancashire mayor branded 'damaging to democracy' amid referendum row - but one councillor is 'converted'

During a debate ahead of the Lancashire County Council poll next month, the Green Party and Reform UK were united in their assessment that an Andy Burnham-style figurehead was not good for democracy.

In a display of the extent of the political split over what has long been a controversial subject in the county, Labour’s opposition group leader said he was “a convert” to the idea, while the Liberal Democrats offered only lukewarm support and the ruling Tories sat firmly on the fence.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has announced plans for the whole of the North of England to have a mayor by May next year – seemingly removing any choice in the matter for Lancashire, which has danced around the subject ever since it began to discuss devolution almost a decade ago.

Gina Dowding, the Green Party group leader at County Hall, said her personal view was that the role was “not a good idea”.

“[We would be] investing an awful lot of power in the hands of one person, elected [by] first-past-the-post, so it doesn’t actually [give] a representation of the whole mix of an area.

“Most people are assuming it means devolving power [and] resources to a significant extent. Actually, what it really feels like is…national government making life easier for themselves to impose their agenda [on] local areas.

“What we’ll end up with is the councils [being] responsible for services…no matter how many resources we’ve got, but when it comes to strategic issues – where we actually shape our…area – that’s all going to be decided by one person. So I don’t feel as though it increases democracy,” County Cllr Dowding said.

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Meanwhile, Reform UK’s Stephen Atkinson – who does not currently sit on the county council, but is standing for election – said a local referendum was vital to give people a say. His view, however, was clear.

He suggested Sir Keir Starmer was hoping to build up a bank of Labour mayors that would end up “dancing to [his] tune”.

“It’s [the] total opposite of devolving power – it’s centralising power through a party political system. And if you were a Labour candidate, you’ve got to think about re-selection. So are you going to challenge the government of the same party the way Andy Burnham challenged the Conservatives?

“It will also politicise investment. Marginal seats will get investment, because that’s where the votes are for the mayor,” said Cllr Atkinson, the outgoing leader of Ribble Valley Borough Council and a former Tory.

Labour opposition group leader Matthew Tomlinson admitted to having previously been “a sceptic” over a mayor – but said that one moment had changed his mind.

“Three days after the general election someone took a selfie on the steps of number 10 and in [it were mayors from across the North]. They were all going in to speak to the Prime Minister. And who was there speaking for Lancashire? No-one.

“The idea [that] if we don’t have an elected mayor, nothing [good] will happen [is] just nonsense. Of course good things will still happen, but better things can happen if we have an elected mayor – I’m a convert,” County Cllr Tomlinson said.

He added that he was not a “not a fan of single-issue referendums”.

John Potter, from the county’s Liberal Democrat group, said he was also opposed to what would be a costly referendum when a mayor was likely to be “imposed” by the government regardless.

He told the audience he was “pretty indifferent” about the post, but believed that, on balance, it was worth having.

“Do I believe in figurehead politics? Not really. Do [mayors] come with any benefit and strategic overview of an area? Yes.

“And, sometimes, that’s politics – there isn’t much black and white, [there is] that whole [area] of grey in the middle, where you make incremental steps to improve the lives of people – and if the mayors do that, then I’ll vote for it.,” County Cllr Potter said.

Meanwhile, representing the ruling Conservative group, County Cllr Scott Smith championed the devolution deal that his administration had secured with the government – together with Labour-led Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen councils – 18 months ago.

That agreement came without a mayor and so was one rung down from the top of the ladder of powers and cash that come with different degrees of devolution.

“We’ve always been clear that…if people want to go further in the future, this is the first step.

“It’s ultimately for the residents of Lancashire to decide how [things] should look and we…will engage in that with good faith, as we have all the way through with the government.

“But I’m not going to sit and prejudge that process here tonight,” County Cllr Smith said.

The ‘Lancashire Decides’ debate was staged by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Lancashire Post, Blackpool Gazette, Lancashire Lead and Blog Preston – and held at the MacDonald Tickled Trout Hotel on the outskirts of Preston.