Mayors Will Be Able to Hand Out Grants From Tax Share; Perth Discovers It Hasn’t Got a Mayor and Wonders If It Could Borrow One
English metro mayors get new powers to give residents money. Perth checks the cupboard and finds only a ceremonial chain.
Perth's grand civic buildings, currently without a mayor to fill them. Photo: Tom Parnell, “Perth City Hall - composite view from W”, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
New rules will let English mayors use part of their tax take to give grants to residents, and Perth has been asking how it might get one.
“We don’t have a mayor,” said a Perth woman. “We have a Provost, a chain and some lovely portraits. But if handing out money is a thing now, I’d vote for a mayor. I’d vote for anybody holding a chequebook.”
Others suggested borrowing one. “Manchester’s got one, Liverpool’s got one,” said a South Inch dog walker. “Could they not send one up for a weekend? We’d put him up. We’d take him to the museum to see the Stone.”
Constitutional experts point out that Scotland has a different system of local government, and English mayoral powers do not apply here. Perth residents say they understand this, but would still like to know “where to send our bank details”.
Councils in Scotland have not commented. The ceremonial chain has also not commented, but is believed to be quietly confident.
The real story: UK politics (BBC)
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I’d vote for a mayor. I’d vote for a mayor’s dog if it came with a grant.
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