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British Mayors
Research by Andrew Stevens

5 May 2013: All but 15 of the 326 councils in England are led by a Council Leader elected by their fellow councillors. Since 2002 a small number, as well as Greater London, have been led by mayors elected directly by local voters. Most of the elected mayors in England have responsibility for all local services, with two district council mayors responsible for only environment, planning and housing. All 16 elected mayors are elected on four year terms by the instant run-off Supplementary Vote. There are no elected mayors in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

There are 326 municipal units in England, consisting of all-purpose single-tier London Boroughs (32, as well as the City of London Corporation), metropolitan boroughs (36) and unitary authorities (56), and 201 non-metropolitan districts existing below 27 upper-tier county councils. In some cases non-metropolitan districts can be known as borough or city councils, while some London Borough, metropolitan borough and unitary councils can also be known as ‘city’ councils. The single-tier councils all have the same responsibilities but their designation reflects particular waves of reorganisation: London Boroughs (1965), metropolitan boroughs (1986) and unitary authorities (1995-1998, 2009). Non-metropolitan districts perform mainly environmental, planning and housing functions in contrast to the all-purpose authorities that also provide education and social services.

In the majority of these 326 councils, all but 15 are headed by a Council Leader elected from among the council (previously annually, since 2010 for four year terms). All councils are elected on four-year cycles but the type of elections (all out, half of seats or third of seats) is determined by each council, leading to a variety of election types across England (except in London and Metropolitan Boroughs, which work on a single fixed all-out cycle).

The directly elected Mayor of London (since 2000) is included among England’s elected mayors, but as a strategic regional authority not providing local authority services, he is considered separately for most other purposes.

Under the Local Government Act 2000, any local council in England could hold a referendum on the introduction of a directly elected mayor, either by citizen petition or council decision. Since the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, councils have been allowed to introduce the system without a referendum, with currently only two (Leicester and Liverpool) doing so. Stoke on Trent, which introduced the system in 2002, was the first to abolish it by referendum in 2008, as it was attributed to the poor governance in the city (alongside other issues). In 2012 Hartlepool followed suit as a result of a referendum initiated by citizen petition, with the council being run under the previous committee system from May 2013. The elected mayor cannot also be a member of the council (as an ordinary councillor) he or she leads.

The UK’s Conservative-led coalition government legislated for referendums to be held in May 2012 in England’s 10 largest cities (Birmingham, Manchester etc.) on the introduction of elected mayor posts, with only Bristol assenting to the proposal. It also introduced directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners to replace England’s police authorities (previously appointed boards) from November 2012. In London the Mayor now performs this particular role.

There are no directly elected mayors in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, where the devolved administrations have chosen not to introduce the system. Local councils in Scotland are presided over by either a Provost or Lord Provost (from French prévôt) and in Wales and Northern Ireland by a Mayor or Lord Mayor. All such posts are ceremonial however with Council Leaders acting as executive head of the administration and elected by councils on an annual basis.


Elected mayors in England
Council
Mayor (Mr, Mrs)
Elections
Profile &
Politics*
Bedford
(Popl: 155,700) www.bedford.gov.uk (Unitary Authority - Borough)		 Dave Hodgson; Mr Elected 2009; 2011 - present. Next elections 2015 Born 1959; IT professional and lecturer;
Party: Liberal Democrats
Bristol
(Popl: 428,200)
www.bristol.gov.uk
(Unitary Authority - City)
 George Ferguson; Mr  Elected 15 November 2012; Next elections 2016 Born 1947; Architect; Party: Independent
Doncaster
(Popl: 291,600) www.doncaster.gov.uk (Metropolitan Borough)		 Ros Jones; Ms Elected 2013; Next elections 2017 Former councillor and community activist ;
Party: Labour
Hackney
(Popl: 212,200) www.hackney.gov.uk (London Borough)		 Jules Pipe; Mr Elected 2002, 2006, 2010 - present. Next elections 2014 Journalist; Chair of London Councils;
Party: Labour Party
Leicester
(Popl: 294,700) www.leicester.gov.uk (Unitary Authority - City)		 Peter Soulsby; Mr Elected 2011; Next elections 2015 Born 1948; Teacher and Member of Parliament (2005-11);
Party: Labour Party
Lewisham
(Popl: 261,600)
www.lewisham.gov.uk (London Borough)		 Steve Bullock; Mr Elected 2002, 2006, 2010 - present. Next elections 2014 Born 1953; Political adviser;
Party: Labour Party
Liverpool
(Popl: 445,200)
www.liverpool.gov.uk
(Metropolitan Borough - City)
 Joe Anderson; Mr Elected 2012; Next elections 2016 Born 1958; Social worker;
Party: Labour
London
(Popl: 7.75m)
www.london.gov.uk (region)		 Boris Johnson; Mr Elected 2008 - present. Re-elected 2012. Next elections 2016 Born 1964; Journalist and Member of Parliament (2001-2008);
Party: Conservative Party
Mansfield
(Popl: 100,600)
www.mansfield.gov.uk (District Council)		 Tony Egginton; Mr Elected 2002, 2007, 2011 - present. Next elections 2015 Born 1951; Shop owner;
Party: Independent
Middlesbrough
(Popl: 139,000
www.middlesbrough.gov.uk (Unitary Authority - Borough)		 Ray Mallon; Mr Elected 2002, 2007, 2011 - present. Next elections 2015 Born 1955; Police chief;
Party: Independent
Newham
(Popl: 249,500)
www.newham.gov.uk (London Borough)		 Robin Wales; Mr Elected 2002, 2006, 2010 - present. Next elections 2015 Born 1955; Telecoms engineer;
Party: Labour Party
North Tyneside
(Popl: 196,000)
www.northtyneside.gov.uk (Metropolitan Borough)		 Norma Redfearn; Mrs Elected 2013.
Next elections 2017		 Teacher;
Party: Labour
Salford
(Popl: 229,000)
www.salford.gov.uk
(Metropolitan Borough - City)
 Ian Stewart; Mr Elected 2012. Next election 2016 Born 1950; Trade union official and Member of Parliament (1997-2010); Party: Labour
 
Torbay
(Popl: 134,000)
www.torbay.gov.uk (Unitary Authority)		 Gordon Oliver; Mr Elected 2011 - present; Next elections 2015 Born 1944; Real estate and surveyor;
Party: Conservative Party
Tower Hamlets
(Popl: 220,500)
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk (London Borough)		 Lutfur Rahman; Mr Elected 2010 - present; Next elections 2014 Lawyer;
Party: Independent (prev. Labour Party)
Watford
(Popl: 80,000)
www.watford.gov.uk (District Council)		 Dorothy Thornhill; Mrs Elected 2002, 2006, 2010 - present. Next elections 2014 Born 1955; Teacher:
Party: Liberal Democrats

*Parties:
Labour Party – centre-left;
Liberal Democrats – centrist;
Conservative Party – centre-right;
Leicester Town Hall




Boris Johnson, Mayor of London


Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham (London)


Dorothy Thornhill, Mayor of Watford


Lutfur Rahman, Mayor of Tower Hamlets