Birmingham needs an Elected Mayor

If I was ever in any doubt whether Birmingham needs an Elected Mayor, I have been convinced in the last couple of days.

Many of my colleagues on Birmingham City Council feel immensely insecure about the prospect of an Elected Mayor when they clearly shouldn’t. It has become very apparent that an Elected Mayor has to appoint elected Councillor’s on the Cabinet. In fact, the Cabinet of the Elected Mayor can only consist of Councillors. I feel Councillor’s can have greater roles to play in the running of their city with an Elected Mayor and should not feel threatened in any way.

Yesterday, at the Constituency Committee for the Perry Barr Constituency, we had 1 member of the public attend at the start of the meeting with a further 4 joining him half-way through the agenda. 5 members of the public out of a possible 120,000 turning up to a meeting that was set up in 2004 with the new devolved structures to take decision-making to the grass-root level community. A discussion on Facebook followed with some turning their attention to criticising councillors whilst others blamed a lack of understanding.

Whatever the reasons are, there needs to be a change. We need to re-visit how we can engage with communities and analyse whether devolved structures are working. If not, and I certainly think they are not, what do we need to do to get them working.

A few weeks ago, I attended a day of fantastic cricket at Edgbaston and took the picture attached on my iPhone. The County Twenty20 Finals Day was being played at Edgbaston with two semi-finals and a final. Both semi-finals made history with both games being tied, something that has never happened before and I doubt will ever happen again. Being a cricket lover, I loved every minute of the occasion but what made my day was the beautiful new Pavilion stadium completed recently following an investment of £32million. I was proud to a Brummie in what must be one of the most beautiful sights in world cricket; Edgbaston Cricket Ground under lights.

I was shocked to learn last night that when announcing the cricket stadiums to host test matches in the next Ashes series in 2013, Edgbaston was not chosen. Why? What a ridiculous decision. Edgbaston has been home to some of the most outstanding Ashes test performances. Who can forget Ian Botham’s super performance in 1981? I can never forget Freddie Flintoff taking two wickets in two balls (Langer & Ponting) in 2005 and changing the test match. The atmosphere at Edgbaston was electrifying and would be even better with the new Pavilion but London has two tests and a test is being played in Manchester, yet Birmingham misses out. Why? And who is going to make a fuss about it? The Leader of Birmingham City Council? I doubt it.

An Elected Mayor will put Birmingham back on the National and International map. Birmingham has missed the boat on many important events in recent years. An Elected Mayor will campaign with the citizens of Birmingham to ensure that Birmingham is on the calendar for all major sporting/arts events. An Elected Mayor will campaign to bring International Investment into Birmingham.

Sion Simon had the safest Labour Parliamentary Seat in Birmingham (according to 2005 General Election Results) and was a serving Minister in Government when he decided that he will not contest the 2010 General Election to campaign for an Elected Mayor in Birmingham. Many at that time questioned Sion’s decision. Today, he is one of only two declared candidates for an Elected Mayor in Birmingham and has been working tirelessly for an Elected Mayor of Birmingham as well as developing policies that we need to implement to ensure an effective Elected Mayor of Birmingham.

The other declared candidate is Cllr. Sir Albert Bore, the Labour Group Leader on Birmingham City Council. Sir Albert has been a Birmingham Councillor from before I was born and has also served as Leader of the Council. A man with immense experience of the current system has come out in full support for an Elected Mayor of Birmingham.

I agree with both Sion and Albert and feel the only way forward is to unite the City behind an accountable individual who the public can relate to. An individual that the public vote in and have the opportunity to vote out is he/she has not delivered for the City. An individual that can help raise the profile of Birmingham; reduce the high levels of unemployment in the city; reduce the high levels of infant mortality in the City; make Birmingham a First Class Second City of this country.

Birmingham certainly needs an Elected Mayor.