Not sure about giving the Mayor a devolved budget for marketing, as when Red Ken had one there were accusations he just used it for promoting himself. Indeed i think one of Boris’s first acts was to abolish the Mayor’s free newsletter/newspaper.

This is a debate that needs to be had though, and perhaps it might be better if there were other options on the table, rather than just a petition to hold a referendum on a mayor. Perhaps run a campaign for halving the number of councillors, doubling their salary and making them full time?

Anyone know how to build a website?

I think they’d have to have some teeth to go with the ermine collar, I wonder what powers they’d wield?

Could you put aside part of the Council Tax & business rates to a Mayoral fund to invest in transport, marketing, innovation (with the wards obligated to participate)? That might be fun to see.

“Don’t confuse the fact something needs to be done with this being it.”

Having a fair old knowledge the current set up, i really don’t think a radically new mechanism for authority will lead to any significant difference, and it’s odd to think that it would. The problem isn’t inertia or gridlock (apart from more literally in the Bristol transport sector), it’s ability and convergence between what people want and what authority attempts to deliver.

I really don’t see how reducing accountability to a single point with yet more numerous advisors and inscrutable behind the scenes elements is going to achieve what is actually wanted.

Reducing the number of councillors to one per ward (35 for the city) and paying them double would be a far better means of developing more locally based responsiveness/accountability and driving up quality through allowing people to take on the role full time.

Don’t confuse the fact something needs to be done with this being it.