Greater Manchester: New Deal

Lord Snape Excerpts

Monday 8th June 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Snape (Lab)]

My Lords, as my noble friend Lord Grocott points out, the city of Manchester rejected the idea of an elected mayor and now has a non-elected mayor. While I am second to none in my admiration for Mr Tony Lloyd, democracy can hardly be said to have prevailed in and around that great city. How soon will it be before the city of Birmingham, which also rejected the idea of a directly elected mayor, has a non-elected mayor to cover the rest of Birmingham and the West Midlands? What guarantees will Her Majesty’s Government give that mayors, whether elected or non-elected, will be provided with adequate resources to meet the demands of the facilities that are being devolved from Her Majesty’s Government?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, the Birmingham city region has not yet reached an agreement with government on a mayor. I am sorry, but I have forgotten the second part of the noble Lord’s question.

[Lord Snape]

The simple question is: where is the money coming from, and when?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

The mayor, if there is one, can raise the mayoral precept in due course.