Directly elected Mayor

Rowlf · 15-02-2017, 11:50

A word of warning for you who live in the borough of Hyndburn. Before long you may be asked to sign a petition which if the right number of signatures are obtained will force the council to hold a referendum for a directly elected mayor.
The person behind this is a man called Geoffery Berg who lives over Manchester somewhere. He has used this tactic in a number of places. He is a property owner and does not like the new rules concerning landlords which are meant to make them keep their properties in better repair etc. There is a question mark over how these signatures are obtained with dubious promises being made .
The law states that if the number of signatures are a certain amount the council have no choice but to hold a referendum which obviously is costly. The estimated cost of a new mayor is £240.000 over two years. Burnley have been forced into this and will have a referendum in May. Mr Berg is now turning his sights on Blackburn and Hyndburn have also been mentioned. The MPs for Burnley and Blackburn are raising the matter in Parliament as he seems to be using this ploy soley for his own interests and at a time when the hard strapped councils have enough on their plates without having to fork out for a referendum. It certainly seems very unfair when he does not even live in the towns he is targeting. I will certainly be voting against a mayor in May.

Rowlf · 15-02-2017, 11:52

The same Mr Berg was taken to court in Liverpool in 2010 and convicted of benefit fraud.

Neil · 15-02-2017, 13:45

I heard something about this and couldn't understand why he wants to do it. I've also no idea why we would want an elected Mayor, do you know what powers would this Mayor have please?

Rowlf · 15-02-2017, 14:35

I do not know what powers the new mayor would have but it seems unnecessary to me. It seems like because he cannot get his own way re the properties he lets out he is causing the councils as much trouble as he can. Personally I do not think he should be allowed to do what he is doing when he doesn't even live in any of the places he is causing havoc in.

shillelagh · 15-02-2017, 14:41

I thought Hyndburn wasn't big enough to have an elected mayor .. it would have to join with another borough or boroughs .....

Rowlf · 15-02-2017, 14:51

I dont think that would be the case should Mr Berg decide to play his little trick there. The Government have rolled out this Licencing scheme and each council is obliged to enforce it as far as I understand. The scheme involves the landlord being checked at a cost and then every property he lets has to have a licence which I believe is about £200 per property.

shillelagh · 15-02-2017, 14:59

I meant Hyndburn as a borough is not big enough to have an elected mayor .. not enough people live in the borough ...

so that will put a stop to him trying it on here .. and if that's the law having a licence to rent properties out .. well then he will have to adhere to it .. if he doesn't then he'll have to stop renting properties out wont he?

Rowlf · 15-02-2017, 15:43

A borough council is a borough council so they will be no different to the other councils he has forced into a referendum. If people reject the idea of an elected mayor he will have lost and yes he will have to pay up or sell his properties as councils have their hands tied with the government and have no choice about implementing the licence scheme.

Less · 15-02-2017, 18:48

So far all seems hearsay, perhaps we need a few links to solid facts before we end up holding the wrong end of a very nasty stick?

Rowlf · 15-02-2017, 19:46

Well Less it is certainly not hearsay in Burnley as there is to be a referendum in May brought about by Mr Berg. He has set his sight on Blackburn next and as he has also mentioned Hyndburn I thought I would bring it to the attention of the residents there.

Margaret Pilkington · 15-02-2017, 19:57

How does this work? How does he get people to sign up to the idea of an elected mayor?
Why would we want a ballot for a useless office?

cashman · 15-02-2017, 20:03

to be honest i cant see a great number of hyndburn folk wanting to vote for such a thing.

Rowlf · 15-02-2017, 20:27

Apparently he got signatures by telling folk if they signed the petition they would get deductions on their council tax amongst other things. I suppose many thought this would be good so they signed.

Margaret Pilkington · 15-02-2017, 21:16

I don't think I would buy that.
It makes no sense at all. You have to pay for the process of a referendum.(and the recurring cost of voting for an elected mayor. I can see absolutely no benefits whatsoever) Where do the people think this money will come from? Or can they not think so far ahead.
I have done a very cursory Google search of elected mayors and they only seem to be mentioned in relation to cities...and even in that context I think they are a drain on the public purse.

Rowlf · 15-02-2017, 23:39

Since the 2000 Local Government Act all local authorities have had the choice to stick with how they run their council or have a directly elected mayor. They had the right to choose which without a referendum and obviously the vast majority have not changed to an elected mayor. But if a petition of over 10,000 signatures is handed in the council are required by law to hold a referendum which is exactly what has happened in Burnley. Mr Berg has brought this about at a couple of other places too and now because Blackburn council have extended their licencing to include Darwen where Mr Berg owns some property he says after the Burnley referendum in May he will bring one about at Blackburn. The large cities are going for an elected mayor because with one the government have promised them more money and more say in how it is spent.