The letters page last week contained the usual slew of complaints about council inaction: street sweeping and litter, members of one party represented on the council attacking members of another, together with concerns over public lavatory facilities, parking charges, the 20mph speed limit, and two somewhat newer issues ie. the Kelston toll road, and a tourist tax. The common denominator in each case would appear to be dissatisfaction with the way the council conducts itself, and an underlying current of citizens simply longing 'to get things done.' There were also some online thoughts, mostly negative, about the election – or not – of a Mayor for B&NES.
"Insanity is doing the same thing again and again, yet expecting different results" (Einstein). Were we to have an elected mayor the way B&NES is run would change – not necessarily to universal satisfaction – because we would have an elected official voted in on the basis of a manifesto which transcended party politics, responded directly to citizens' concerns, and made sensible and considered use of devolved legislation to effect the changes the vast mass of us seek. Desperate to avoid the facile maunderings of local and national politicians who practise the politics of negativity ie. attacking the opposition rather than making concrete and considered statements, I would suggest the implementation of, for example, an annual review of the Bath Commercial Business Rate to better reflect the economic situation; a root and branch reform of the council structure and councillors' expenses; zero tolerance of – say – illegal parking, and cyclists flouting the Highway Code; a proactive policy toward gypsies/travellers; the introduction of a tourist tax to benefit the local economy. One random thought on promoting local businesses: why do candidates seeking election in Bath have their campaign literature printed in Bristol? Are there no printers in Bath?
Middlesbrough's Ray Mallon and Bristol's George Ferguson are elected mayors who campaigned on specific platforms, achieved significant majorities, and implemented policies that met with wide approval. They have encountered opposition, yet their time in office has been devoted solely to the betterment of their towns, not a slavish devotion to political party dogma or national policies. The 'Bloomberg Cities of Service' model is just one excellent example of harnessing local power to local needs whereby local government swiftly gives residents who have identified a local need tools and funding.
Andrew Cobb
Garfield Terrace, Larkhall
