The Leaders of the 4 local authorities that used to comprise Avon have signed with Government a devolution deal.
The agrement can be read here :- www.gov.uk/government/publications/west-of-england-devolution-deal
At present it comes with a new Metro Mayor. Devolution YES PLEASE – return to Avon with a single politician in charge NO THANKYOU.
The agreement needs lots or revising before it will be accpetable. Just on Sunday when out talking with residents on Police issues two people came up to me and were pretty angry that having just rejected an elected Mayor for the Council by 8 to 2 the Government was now forcing another on us with no say from the public. Avon was massively unpopular. It was created by the Conservatives then abandoned by the Conservatives after a quarter of a century and now lo and behold another quarter of a century on and the Conservatives are recreating Avon by the back door.