Thinktank urges stronger oversight of England’s expanding mayors
IPPR North has called for greater official scrutiny of England’s mayors as ministers prepare plans to transfer potentially billions of pounds in additional funding to regional leaders. The thinktank warned that one poor decision could damage the devolution agenda, according to The Guardian.
England’s mayors should face greater official scrutiny as their responsibilities expand, the thinktank IPPR North has said, The Guardian reports. The call comes before ministers are expected to set out plans next month to give regional leaders control over potentially billions of pounds in additional funding. The proposed transfer is described as a “transformational” shift of power away from Whitehall.
IPPR North warned that one bad decision could derail the devolution agenda. Its concern is that greater financial and political authority should be matched by stronger oversight of mayors. The report refers specifically to the possible effect on Andy Burnham’s devolution agenda, but the supplied material does not describe any decision by Burnham or identify a specific failure by an English mayor.
No details are provided about the scrutiny arrangements proposed by the thinktank, the amount of funding involved or the timetable for implementing the wider devolution plans. Ministers’ plans have not yet been set out in the supplied material.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.