Letter - In need of more info
I AM thankful to Alex Story for raising the issue of elected mayors and elected police commissioners in the Express.
I am led to understand that the responsibilities to be endowed upon such elected positions is to be decided by the government and that such responsibilities could vary from council to council. I trust therefore, that the government will inform the Wakefield electorate, well in advance of such elections, what responsibilities will be placed with a Wakefield elected mayor.
I would also like to know how such a position will affect the current structure of the council: will he or she replace, say, the current chief executive or other current senior positions?
Who will nominate the potential candidates? When and where will the public be able to question and scrutinise the candidates prior to an election? Will an elected mayor prove more expensive than a non-elected? Without such information being made available, what is the point of entering a polling station other than to vote “no”?
As for the position of elected police commissioner, Keith Hellawell (ex-West Yorkshire chief constable) has expressed his desire to stand but held little hope of winning because he refuses to align himself with a political party.
This is one of the main reasons for the low turnouts at elections Alex: party politics and the fact that we have little or no background knowledge or other relevant information to take any view on the potential candidates other than the sitting tenants.
David Downs
Mountbatten Ave, Sandal
l Letters Extra - see page 36
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Wakefield
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.