Local leaders react to deal to bring elected mayor to Suffolk
"This is a hastily brought together plan that has clearly not been thought through."
A devolution deal that will bring an elected mayor to Suffolk has received a mixed reaction from the region's politicians, with praise from one but another criticising it as a "hastily brought together plan that has clearly not been thought through".
Conservative councillor Matthew Hicks, leader of Suffolk County Council, said that he welcomed the announcement, made by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt during his autumn statement.
He said that a model where the leader of the authority is directly elected by the people of Suffolk "would not add any new levels of bureaucracy nor create any new offices".
Mr Hicks added that it would be a "significant step on our county's journey towards devolution and more control over our future".
However Green Party councillor Andrew Stringer, who is leader of the Green, Liberal Democrat and Independents Group on Suffolk County Council, criticised the plan.
"I can just see this being a clear ticket to political fighting, political cronyism and a recipe for stalemate if we're not careful," said Mr Stringer.
"And frankly we've got lots of things we need to get on with without fighting among ourselves."
He asked: "Has anyone actually worked out what happens if this elected leader of the county council ends up being from a different political party from those forming the cabinet?
"This person would then have to select the cabinet from a group of people he or she is not a member of.
"This is a hastily brought together plan that has clearly not been thought through.
"It also puts the power in the hands of those that select the candidates from political parties.
"This has proved over the last few years, some of these selection processes, to be gravely wanting.
"We've selected Prime Ministers that we shouldn't."
He said that the system was becoming "more Americanised", adding: "I don't know if people have noticed, but in America it's not going hugely well politically.
"It's causing huge division and stalemate."
He said there are "some very famous people in Suffolk".
"What happens if one of them stands," said Mr Stringer.
"We've got some who are quite politically active in heritage terms and cultural terms.
"If one of them stands and wins, not that I mind, but I don't think it's going to help in terms of accountability or doing anything better."
However, council leader Mr Hicks said: "If agreed, this provisional deal would deliver decades of significant additional investment into local priorities that will improve the lives and outcomes of Suffolk's residents; secure greater decision-making powers around transport, infrastructure and skills; and give us the powers we need to achieve our net zero ambitions and create the Greenest County."
In his autumn statement, Mr Hunt said that deals to bring mayors to "Cornwall, Norfolk and an area in the North-East (are) to follow shortly".