I'm wondering about the new plans for empowering Regional Mayors. I think it could be good but the way the boundaries of the regions get drawn seems crucial to me. My worry is that legacy boundaries that aren't fit for purpose might ruin it.
I live in Glossop. My guess is that perhaps 30% of working people who live in Glossop work in Glossop (or elsewhere in HighPeak), 50% work in Greater Manchester, 10% in Sheffield (like me) and 10% elsewhere. My guess is that Nottingham and Derby would make up a very small part of that elsewhere. For shopping or evenings out, Nottingham and Derby would be even less significant. I don't think I have ever been to Derby. Yet we are under the auspices of the Nottingham and Derby metro-Mayor. That seemed ridiculous but didn't bother me too much when the metro-Mayor didn't really have much of a role.
If metro-Mayors start to matter, and Borough Councils get subsumed, it seems crucial that boundaries get drawn up appropriately. High Peak (or at least Glossopdale) needs to be in with Manchester. Our hospital is in Greater Manchester, our train station has a Greater Manchester Transport logo. To travel to Nottingham or Derby from Glossop by public transport takes over two hours and goes via Manchester.
I'm guessing the situation will be similar in other places across the country where county boundaries have determined metro-Mayor regions. Counties need to be forgotten about IMO if this is to work. Instead metro-Mayors should be responsible for the places that are actually in their orbit. Necessarily, that is how it is already done with stuff such as hospitals.
I'm keen to hear though how it is for people living elsewhere etc.
I live in Glossop. My guess is that perhaps 30% of working people who live in Glossop work in Glossop (or elsewhere in HighPeak), 50% work in Greater Manchester, 10% in Sheffield (like me) and 10% elsewhere. My guess is that Nottingham and Derby would make up a very small part of that elsewhere. For shopping or evenings out, Nottingham and Derby would be even less significant. I don't think I have ever been to Derby. Yet we are under the auspices of the Nottingham and Derby metro-Mayor. That seemed ridiculous but didn't bother me too much when the metro-Mayor didn't really have much of a role.
If metro-Mayors start to matter, and Borough Councils get subsumed, it seems crucial that boundaries get drawn up appropriately. High Peak (or at least Glossopdale) needs to be in with Manchester. Our hospital is in Greater Manchester, our train station has a Greater Manchester Transport logo. To travel to Nottingham or Derby from Glossop by public transport takes over two hours and goes via Manchester.
I'm guessing the situation will be similar in other places across the country where county boundaries have determined metro-Mayor regions. Counties need to be forgotten about IMO if this is to work. Instead metro-Mayors should be responsible for the places that are actually in their orbit. Necessarily, that is how it is already done with stuff such as hospitals.
I'm keen to hear though how it is for people living elsewhere etc.