Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson slams council leaders over future of the region. Liverpool Echo by Alisha Rouse.

Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson(pictured above) slams council leaders over future of the region.  Liverpool Echo by Alisha Rouse.

Mayor Anderson says fellow leaders have brought area into disrepute in letter to the ECHO

Mayor Joe Anderson has accused Merseyside council leaders of bringing the area into “disrepute” in a row over a potential new mayor for the region.

In a letter to the ECHO, Mayor Anderson claimed St Helens council leader Barrie Grunewald had gone back on his word after demanding a referendum on the issue of an elected Metro Mayor - similar to the one being adopted in Greater Manchester.

Adopting a Metro Mayor will see Greater Manchester get £1bn investment from government and the transfer of powers.

He also hit out at Knowsley council for approving a motion, proposed by its council leader Cllr Ron Round, which claimed there was “no public support” for a metro mayor in Merseyside.

Mayor Anderson said the matter was “about integrity” after council leaders had agreed to discuss the issue “with no preconditions”.

He said: “Only a matter of weeks ago we told Government in a letter agreed by all leaders that we would discuss with no preconditions devolution of powers and resources similar to Greater Manchester.

“We had a letter from the Leader of St Helens in the Echo demanding the precondition of a referendum, then we had Knowsley Council saying the same in a motion to their Council. We simply cannot make a statement one week saying one thing and do something different the next it brings discussions and our standing into disrepute.”

Read more here:

Merseyside public should be 'consulted' over metro-mayor proposal

Joe Anderson anger as Merseyside metro mayor plans 'scuppered' by Knowsley council

Liverpool City Region combined authority row is down to Joe Anderson's ego, claims St Helens Council leader

Liverpool mayor threatens to exit Merseyside authority

Further Reading

Joe Anderson,  Mayor of Liverpool

Joe Anderson , (Politician)

Comment:

Having fairly recently moved to Merseyside,  and living in Southport ,  I have followed the local news in regards to the offer of greater responsibility given to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority,  I don’t understand why Councillor Joe Anderson,  the unelected Mayor of Liverpool  feels he has the right to be the Mayor of Merseyside,  I think that Mr Anderson’s own sense of self-importance and ego is damaging to Merseyside and it’s people and the other councils are right to stand up to his bullying tactics.