“Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation”, published by the government today:
“15.3 To rebalance the economy, cities need effective governance. OECD research has shown that cities around the world with fragmented governance structures have up to 6% lower levels of productivity than those that do not.
15.4 England currently has 353 local authorities with over 18,000 elected members.5 This can lead to fragmented decision making and blurred accountability; even within the same city region, urban and suburban leaders do not always work together on shared objectives. The experience of London and other major international cities suggests that a directly elected mayor can cut through these difficulties. The government has therefore been clear that devolution of significant powers will rest on cities agreeing to rationalise governance and put in place a mayor to inspire confidence.”
East Devon Watch 