Problem now is the new Labour Mayor will face an uphill struggle working with/against a Conservative Government. The Mayors job should be a non political post with candidates hired through a normal job application process in accordance with the professional qualifications to do the job. I don't see that a doctor fulfils that criteria, or for that matter the other two failed candidates. Hence why I did not vote for any of them.
I can't really agree, John. The devolution deal under which the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority was established is rule-governed, so not open to too much interference by central government. It was established under a Conservative government, and involves District Councils which are under Conservative, Labour and LibDem control and Cambridgeshire County Council, which was under Conservative control until the latest elections. Under the agreement establishing the Combined Authority, Labour-controlled Cambridge City Council obtained – from a Conservative government – significant powers and funding to build council housing. The mayor has other powers relating to housing, but not to over-rule Cambridge city.
The deal to establish the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority established a directly-elected mayor. This is a political job to represent the local electorate and lead the authority in economic development of the region, not just transport. An appointed mayor, imposed by central government wouldn't have been seen as legitimate.
The people who need professional qualifications are the officers. The Bus Strategy Manager, Oliver Howarth, has those, and relevant experience, in spades. He has had senior positions in a municipal operator, and for a major group operator, as well as having run his own, independent, bus company.
There have been difficulties between the former mayor of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and the Greater Cambridge Partnership. [
Some details here,
and here.] Whilst these bodies do overlap somewhat in responsibilities, the disputes were seen by many observers as an attempted 'power-grab' by Palmer. He appeared to want to absorb the Greater Cambridge Partnership into the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, but the Conservative central government didn't support this as both authorities were established under legal agreements, and government ministers made it clear they expected the two bodies to work together.
Back in 2013, the Greater Cambridge Partnership was established under a Conservative government, requiring collaboration between the University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire County Council (then under Conservative control, now with no majority) South Cambridgeshire District Council (then under Conservative control, now LibDem-controlled) and Cambridge City Council. The collaboration continues, notwithstanding changes of political control.
I suspect that relationships between the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and the Greater Cambridge Partnership run more smoothly under Mayor Johnson.
