My Lords, I have listened with interest to the comments of the noble Baroness, Lady Janke, and the noble Lord, Lord Beecham. I know that the noble Baroness feels strongly about providing the people of Bristol with the same opportunities to change their system of governance should they so choose by means of a valid petition for a governance referendum to the council. I am aware that during the passage of the Deregulation Bill through this House in February 2015, she tabled a similar amendment. I am also aware that she introduced on 8 June a Private Member’s Bill, the Referendums (Local Authority Governance) Bill, that would have the same effect.
As we have discussed in the past, we cannot accept this amendment on the grounds of both precedent and principle. The precedent for introducing mayoral governance following a referendum instigated by Parliament was set when the London mayor was established. In this case, Parliament instigated a referendum through enacting primary legislation. The electors then voted for London having a mayor and, by a further Act of Parliament, the arrangements were introduced. There is no provision in these arrangements for the people of London to vote that they no longer want a mayor.
The Government followed the same broad precedent in putting in place the legislative arrangements that have led to the establishment of mayoral governance in the city of Bristol. In this case, Parliament, through approving by a resolution of both Houses an appropriate order under the Local Government Act 2000, instigated a referendum. The people of Bristol voted for a mayor, and that form of mayoral governance was established under the Local Government Act 2000. As in the case of the London mayor, mayoral governance in Bristol can be changed only by an Act of Parliament.
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The amendment would change that. It would mean that the electors of Bristol could have a referendum by petitioning for one and if they voted to end the mayoral model, it would end. This is indeed the position where a mayor has been introduced wholly by local choice, and it is right that this is so. If it is a wholly local choice to establish the mayor, it is right that wholly local choice should be able to end mayoral governance. However, it would be wrong in principle to create circumstances in which a mayor established through a specific decision of Parliament and local choice together could be ended simply by local choice. I do not suggest that Bristol should for ever have a form of mayoral governance, but the decision to change the governance of Bristol, having been instigated in part through a decision of Parliament, should involve some parliamentary consideration of the issue and not be simply a matter of local choice.
It might be said that passing the amendment would provide the parliamentary input into such a decision, but that is a spurious argument. Whatever considerations
we are giving today, it cannot be said that we are giving serious consideration to the circumstances of a particular place—in this case, Bristol. Therefore I urge the noble Baroness to withdraw her amendment.