Ultra - Leicester's Lord Mayor

[Bellend Sebastian]

Nicely homoerotic picture used by the Mercury there

[lou]

Who needs Rosemary Connolly to tell them that they need to eat more healthily and exercise more to lose weight?!!

[Bellend Sebastian]

She does beautiful makeovers too.

Ultra should get one - it's a matter of civic pride

[Flynny]

Who does he think he is with that banana, David Milliband?

[Benji]

How about not wasting tax payers money on civic functions? And a Mayoral mercedes? Radical I know.

I am sure Colin will pay tax on the Benefit In Kind he is recieveing from Rosemary as a direct result of his status as Lord Mayor in waiting

It could be saved and used to sue your libellous ass by innuendo, you do realise it is a purpose built law for the rich and famous...

[Flynny]

Con-Lib pact just unveiled plan to have directly elected Mayors in the 12 largest English cities. That includes us. Unlucky Ultra.

[Dr The Singh]

Con-Lib pact just unveiled plan to have directly elected Mayors in the 12 largest English cities. That includes us. Unlucky Ultra.

Who knows he may win, unless the public find out his antics on Foxestalk and his bigotry behaviour. Oh how ironic it would be that Foxestalk would be the factor to end his career in local politics, but it would be justified, society needs to be rid of the Ultra's of this world in the public eye!!!

[Jon the Hat]

Con-Lib pact just unveiled plan to have directly elected Mayors in the 12 largest English cities. That includes us. Unlucky Ultra.

Brilliant. All that time spent working his way up the chain, gets the honorary title only to be usurped by an elected Mayor. I almost feel sorry for him.

[Bellend Sebastian]

I'm totally voting for him. He's a dreamboat

[Guest Bilo]

Con-Lib pact just unveiled plan to have directly elected Mayors in the 12 largest English cities. That includes us. Unlucky Ultra.

lol

And he thought he loathed them before!

[Flynny]

Guessing it'll take a while to implement though and probably won't come in until his term expires.

[Finnegan]

And a Labour candidate will walk it. If Labour put him forward and really push him then they'd probably get it.

[davieG]

From the Merc

Leicester will be asked to hold a referendum into whether the city should have a directly elected mayor.

The mayor would control Leicester's purse strings and make key decisions on transport, policing, the environment and economic development – but would be held to account by the city council.

The new Government yesterday announced plans for polls on elected mayors in the 12 biggest cities in England.

The announcement was given an enthusiastic welcome by Leicester South MP Peter Soulsby – who admitted he would be attracted by the role.

He said: "Elected mayors have proved to be successful where they have been introduced. "So long as they are matched by a system of accountability, they are an effective way of governing.

"I've long made no secret of the fact that if the city adopts the system, then I'd be very interested in doing the job and building on my 17 years experience as a councillor and council leader and five years as an MP."

Leicester East MP Keith Vaz would not say whether he would ever stand for the job. But he added: "I fully support the policy of an elected mayor of Leicester. It is a longstanding view that I have held and I believe it is a way in which you can re-energise interest in local government."

It was unclear yesterday how soon the Government would look to implement its policy.

But Leicester City Council leader Veejay Patel warned that having a directly elected mayor could result in other councillors having less say.

He said: "In the past it has been the view that the leader and cabinet model works well. "It is a model that is well established in this city.

"In this city all politicians like to engage in the decision-making process. It is the model that we have at the moment that ensures that happens, more so than the elected-mayor model."

The new Government also pledged to freeze council tax in England for at least a year.

In Leicestershire, bills have risen by more than £500 for the majority of households across the county since 2000.

Rates for houses in the city have risen 58 per cent since April 2000, while the latest increases in Leicestershire see people shelling out between 65 and 69 per cent more.

In January, Leicestershire County Council leader Councillor David Parsons promised a three-year council tax freeze for residents if Conservatives won the General Election.

He said yesterday: "We pledged last year that under a Conservative government we would freeze council tax, so I am extremely glad that this will enable us to do that."

Councillors in Leicester set a council tax rise of 1.9 per cent this financial year and planned increases of 2.9 per cent each year after that until 2013.

Mr Patel said: "We need some clarity over the budget, in terms of the money we will receive from the Government.

"In principle the Labour administration would support a low increase but we still have a responsibility to deliver services at a level the public expects."

Meanwhile, estate agents welcomed the Government's plan to scrap controversial House Information Packs (HIPs), saying it would rejuvenate the property market.

They say more sellers will test the water now they do not pay as much as £500 up front for the packs without any guarantee of a sale going through.

Vendors will now have to pay £50 to £100 for an energy rating certificate of their home.

John Cooper of Harborough Cooper Estates said: "It takes out needless red tape. HIPs did put people off and it stopped people putting their property on the market speculatively."

Before the election, the Conservatives pledged to introduce a "free vote" on repealing the ban on hunting with hounds, effectively meaning MPs could vote as their conscience dictated, without having to conform to any party line.

But Tory leader David Cameron has watered down his proposals slightly due to coalition talks with the Liberal Democrats, and possibly out of a desire not to be seen to make fox hunting a priority while the economy still has problems.

MPs will be given the opportunity later this year to vote on whether to have a free vote to repeal the ban.

The Conservatives have 307 seats, Labour 258 and Lib Dems 57.

Joe Cowen, joint senior master of Leicestershire's Fernie Hunt, said: "I don't think the proposals for voting that they have put forward will necessarily make it harder to repeal the act.

"The real problem is that there are more Labour MPs in the Commons than we thought there were going to be.

"I think it will be close either way, but as long as the majority of Conservative MPs support the move to repeal the Act and we pick up some Lib Dems, then I'm hopeful."

The outcome of any vote has become less clear as some Conservative MPs have suggested they may not support a move to repeal the Hunting Act, while the Liberal Democrats seem to be split over the issue.

[Lillehamring]

great britain REALLY wants to be american....

[stez]

great britain REALLY wants to be american....

t'was ever thus. Well since britain and america swapped, imperial, places

[Jon the Hat]

great britain REALLY wants to be american....

You think America came up with the idea of elected Mayors?? Hah. We invented Mayors, and their election. We moved away from it, and are now moving back.

[Lillehamring]

You think America came up with the idea of elected Mayors?? Hah. We invented Mayors, and their election. We moved away from it, and are now moving back.

no. i think america HAS elected mayors, and i don't think britain needs them but wants them because america has them....

[Finnegan]

no. i think america HAS elected mayors, and i don't think britain needs them but wants them because america has them....

Prior to 2008 I would have said "it worked in London..." <_<

[Webbo]

no. i think america HAS elected mayors, and i don't think britain needs them but wants them because america has them....

I believe the reason is to create interest in local democracy. At most local elections there is only a 30/40% turnout and then those voters tend to be dyed in the wool supporters who always vote the same and take no interest in what the council is doing. By having individual candidates people can read their manifestos and vote for what they really believe in. Don't forget in those northern towns where they have this system the winners are often independents.

[ozleicester]

t'was ever thus. Well since britain and america swapped, imperial, places

We missed the boat to be like the US... but there is time to jump on the latest bandwagon

The System of People's Congress

Chinas fundamental political system; an organizational form for the state power.

The National Peoples Congress (NPC) is the highest authority of state power while local peoples congresses are the local authorities. Both authorities are elected by the people.

[Jon the Hat]

Prior to 2008 I would have said "it worked in London..." <_<

Ah the old it works if my man is in power but if the foolish majority want something other than my choice the system is broken story.

[davieG]

It's Official

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Incredible-journey-city-s-new-Lord-Mayor/article-2225208-detail/article.html

[Webbo]

It's Official

That's Chubby Brown surely?

[Zingari]

That's Chubby Brown surely?

can you imagine the staff at the town hall all welcoming in with cries of " you fat bastard ,you fat bastard !!"

the mayor of Leicester

the mayor of Royston Vasey

[Unit]

This is only slightly on topic but I saw the ex mayor yesterday and was wondering how the fook anybody in leicester can afford the number plate "Abc 1"