ELECTED MAYORS AND CITY LEADERSHIP
Overview and Terms of Reference
Introduction
The Localism Act was passed into law on 15th November 2011. It makes provision for
the creation of directly elected mayors, subject to confirmatory referendums, in
England’s largest cities. Referendums in eleven cities will take place on 3rd May 2012.
Where the outcome is a ‘yes’ vote, elections will take place on 15th November 2012.
The purpose of the Warwick Commission on Elected Mayors and City Leadership is not
to judge whether directly elected Mayors are the right system of democratic governance
as this will be a matter for electors. Rather, the Commission is considering the optimal
scale and structure for the offices of elected mayor if one or more city votes to adopt the
system. In particular, it is evaluating the potential for elected mayors to provide
enhanced levels of strategic leadership for cities.
The Commission is considering evidence and best practice from across the globe,
including towns and cities in England which have already adopted the system. Effort will
be made to consider the context of all English cities.
The Commission is strictly party and candidate neutral and will open its work and
deliberations to any stakeholder with an interest in the subject of elected mayors, city
leadership and governance including those running referenda campaigns. The
Commission is committed to open data and will utilise social media extensively to
maximise engagement.
Terms of Reference
The principal question for the Commission is:
What is the Role of Elected Mayors in Providing Strategic Leadership to Cities?
Secondary Research Questions are:
1. Do elected mayors make any difference to their local areas?
2. How do we know what difference elected mayors make?
3. What metrics can we adopt to determine and track the success and benefits, or
otherwise, of elected mayors?
4. Why are policies for elected mayors being actively considered and debated now?
5. Is the primary role of elected mayors one of:
a. Strategic leadership?
b. The co-ordination of different interests?
c. Cutting through red tape?
d. Mobilising coalitions of the willing?
e. Generating a local identity?
f. Helping drive economic growth?
6. What difference does the local/national context make?
7. What are the different models of elected mayors and their associated local
governance systems - and what difference do they make?
8. How have new mayors – particularly those in recently created structures –
succeeded in drawing up and implementing their first term policy programmes?
9. What definition of leadership does the elected mayor’s debate imply?
10. What is the connection between elected mayors and the more general
decentralisation debate?
11. What is the connection between elected mayors and the apparent decline in the
popularity of traditional political parties? What is likely to be the nature of the
relationship between elected mayors and party politics?
12. What is the role of charisma and personality in the election of mayors? Do effective
elected mayors share similar backgrounds, experience, education or personality
types?
13. What is the link between elected mayors and elected police commissioners?
Following an initial report based on existing evidence and additional primary research,
and subject to funding, the Commission will make recommendations on matters
including:
14. Options for mayoral offices’ geographical boundaries (e.g. whether to extend to LEP
areas or city regions);
15. The scope and framework for mayoral offices, including recommendations on
secondary legislation or HM Government directions where required;
16. Analysis of the impact on local government organisation and public service reform;
17. Proposals for the relationship of the office of elected mayor to the full Council(s) and
other parts of the public apparatus (eg. skills, business support, transport, health,
crime) including arrangements for accountability and scrutiny. In particular, what
should the relationship be between elected mayors on the roles of existing local
authority councillors in terms of:
a. scrutiny of the decisions and performance of the Elected Mayor
b. executive positions within an elected mayoral administration
c. representation of electors at ward level.
We would expect the Commission’s work on strategic leadership of cities (and in turn of
Local Authorities covering cities) to be of benefit to all cities, even where their
electorates choose not to adopt the elected mayoral model.
Methodology
The effects of elected mayors in the UK (notably London) and across the world are being
considered. There is a wide range of existing research material already available that will
be considered by the Commission. However, there are many aspects of elected mayors,
governance systems and strategic leadership that need further study, whilst more
material exists in certain parts of the world than others. Consideration of cultural and
historical significances and differences will be given when looking at evidence from
different territories and areas.
The Commission is using a qualitative approach to interviewing, supplemented by an
array of more quantitative data generated from a trawl through the published literature
and the unpublished reports of the various elected mayors. Once the first report is
completed in Spring 2012, we will then plan a series of short ethnographic periods with
newly elected mayors (assuming at least some are elected) and follow them for their
first few weeks in office to assess their experiences in the light of the existing theory.
Governance and Membership
The Commission is chaired by Prof Wyn Grant, Professor of Politics in the Department
of Politics and International Studies at Warwick.
An expert group of Commissioners are drawn from academia, the policy and civic
communities, journalism and the corporate sector both in the UK and overseas. A
separate list of current Commissioners is available upon request.
The Warwick Commission is an independent, evidence-based research exercise.
Commissioners have been invited to advise the Chair and Director on both data
gathering and interpreting their findings. The Commission’s output will form the basis of
a doctorate.
The research director of the Commission is Prof Keith Grint, professor of Public
Leadership and Management at Warwick Business School (WBS).
Clare Holt, a PhD student at WBS, is undertaking the majority of data gathering,
including interviews with mayors and associated figures across the world.
RJF Public Affairs, based in Birmingham, is providing the Secretariat function for the
Commission with particular responsibility for communications as well as administration.
Partners
The Institute for Government and the Centre for Cities have both offered to support the
work of the Commission. These influential and highly respected think tanks have
considerable experience in the areas of governance and city based policy making.
Meanwhile, the Urban Land Institute, the nonprofit research and education organisation
which provides leadership in the responsible use of land, is similarly offering assistance.
In addition to core investment by The University of Warwick, the Commission will be
seeking funding from corporate funders as well as Trusts and Foundations.
Timeline
Data gathering commenced in August 2011.
The Commission’s first meeting was on 21 November 2011 followed by a public
launch. Subsequent meetings were held on 30 January and 19 March 2012.
The first report will be published on 16th April 2012, ahead of the referendums on 3rd
May 2012.
Further reports will be released ahead of potential elections in November 2012.
A final report will be published to include Clare Holt’s PhD.
Further Information
Commission website:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/research/warwickcommission/electedmayors/
Commission on Twitter:
@mayorcommisson
Secretariat
Kevin Johnson or Marc Reeves
RJF Public Affairs Limited
Tel: 0121 213 4716
kevin.johnson@rjfpa.com or marc.reeves@rjfpa.com .