SIR Howard Bernstein could find himself out of a job under Conservative proposals for a powerful elected mayor for Manchester.
Shadow communities secretary Caroline Spelman said all major cities would be given a referendum on whether they wanted Boris Johnson-style political figureheads.
And the law will be changed so that if the people of Manchester say 'yes', the elected mayor would take on the powers of the current council chief executive - Sir Howard.
That would include the ability to hire and fire staff, and set wages. Their own salaries would be set by all councillors, following the recommendations of an independent panel.
The people in Manchester have already rejected the idea of an elected mayor in a consultation which ended this week. Ms Spelman said her mayors would have more powers and were therefore more likely to find favour.
But she ruled out the idea of a Greater Manchester mayor - telling the M.E.N. she wasn't 'about to redraw the lines of local government'.
Critics said there was no appetite for the plan in Manchester - adding that Boris Johnson and his team had actually proved hugely expensive.
Change
Ms Spelman also confirmed plans to give councils the power to adopt the powers and budgets of unelected regional development agencies. She said this would be on a voluntary basis - meaning town halls could keep the RDAs if they wished, or decide to club together to manage the resources.
Ms Spelman said her executive mayors would 'bring real change to cities' and 'take power from unelected officers'.
"What were once humble town clerks are now [chief executives] on glorified six-figure salaries, bumping up their salaries in football-style transfers from council to council," she said. "Let's cut that cost, save the money, and have proper accountability."
Under the Tory proposals, the referendum in Manchester - and 11 other cities - would be likely to be held on the same day as the council elections in 2011.
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester city council, said: "Manchester made it quite clear they have no appetite for change of this sort. The only place that has had a referendum on this is Tory-controlled Bury - the Tories campaign for a 'no' vote, and they got one."
Simon Ashley, leader of the opposition Lib Dem group on Manchester council, said: "If there is demand for an elected mayor, there is already a trigger for a referendum.
"Boris and his team cost Londoners well over £1million a year in salaries alone. The last thing the people of Manchester need when 10 per cent cuts are in the air is more spent on politicians and advisors, and less on front line services."
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Great see you Mr bernstein and take your mate with you (tricky dicky leese)..do us all a favour.
His Lordship has done well enough for himself.
"Manchester made it quite clear they have no appetite for change of this sort",said Mr Leese...He also said,firstly there would be No Congestion charge in Manchester.Then he would resign if the Congestion-charge vote was a No..I think the current quote is like the others,a load of B++++++s.
Elected Mayors for every City ???
If you want to know the future see what Brussels says on it - not Westminster.
A Manchester Mayor = A Congestion Charge without any right to appeal. As much as I would love to see Howard out of office for wasting our money, not at the expense of them railroading the con tax in. We cannot afford to let councillors and mps have more power.
The sooner Burnstein is booted out the better, and could his friend leese go with him.
Bye bye Bernstein, can't happen soon enough!
Excuse me Mr Leese! since when have you known what the people of manchester have wanted?
wasnt it you who said you would stake your career on the con charge being passed?
so why are you still here?
typical labour! says one thingand does something completely different!
Bernstein and Leese should go anyay after the attempted congestion charge coup.
"they wanted Boris Johnson-style political figureheads"
The last thing Manchester need is anyone anything like Boris Johnson.
Bet he'd be gutted especially with his golden ta ra and his fabulous pension. Retire to Animal Farm and play golf!
Bernstein is nothing less than a carbuncle on the backside of Manchester.
The sooner that butt sore has gone, the sooner Manchester will be a better place ...and take Leese with him.
The sooner he & Leese & their cronies get the boot, the better. They have feathered their nests very nicely but the city centre is tatty & they have done little to improve the quality of life for anyone other than their millionaire friends.
The Manchester Independant Economic Review - Reviewers Report says : -
Recomendation 7 - MCR's failure to deliver the TIF package suggests there is room for improvement in developing robust governance. We therefore recomend that the city region looks again at how it takes major decisions of the kind this report highlights in order to ensure that the difficult decisions needed to promote sustainable growth are considered effectively.
Rammylad says - Having lost the con tax bid through a one sided £30m advertising and lying campaign, they now seek to remove democracy altogether and give us a con tax anyway.
"The people in Manchester have already rejected the idea of an elected mayor in a consultation which ended this week." Er, Otters, that's inaccurate at best, and deliberately misleading at worst. An informal and unregulated consultation was held which was unaudited and unrepresentative. Moreover, that's all it was - the decision has been reserved to the council's executive. Not democracy as we know it.
And another thing, as "That Bit Of Fluff" said below, Leese and Bernstein should go now anyway. The CC referendum defeat was official notice to quit. What part of the letter didn't they understand???
No need for an elected mayor if the public want change. Just remember those at electon time that tried forcing "Congestion Charging" upon you.
Will this be similar to the Irish EU vote, the politicians keep asking the same question until they get the answer they want?
that seems a good trade off,put me down as someone in favour