Giving Mayors powers over water 'bonkers', Mayor says

Andy Burnham’s plan to give regional leaders more power over water utilities “frankly, is a bit bonkers”, a Conservative mayor has warned.

Paul Bristow claimed mayoral devolution in England was a “success story” for his party, but warned it was “not going to solve all our problems”.

The Labour Mayors of West, South and North Yorkshire have all called for a change in the way water companies are managed, and for them to be mutualised – turned into not-for-profit entities run by local people with buy-in from regional leaders.

Devolution has been a central plank of Mr Burnham’s governing agenda since he became Labour leader and Prime Minister earlier this year.

During his first week in Downing Street, the former Greater Manchester mayor hosted regional leaders – including mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mr Bristow – at his new No 10 North in Manchester.

Asked whether cross-party efforts to work on mayoral devolution could continue, Mr Bristow said the Government’s “message is good”.

He said: “We want that responsibility, that accountability, but we need the resources that come with it.”

The Prime Minister last week promised mayors “will have new powers to hold water companies to account, with tougher consequences for those which repeatedly fail”, as part of a bid to “strengthen public control” over the sector.

Mr Burnham more widely pledged “more power and control over the basics”, which he said would be “in the hands of people and places to set their own ambitions”.

Attending the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, Mr Bristow said: “The idea that I’m going to become responsible for a water company or Anglian Water, I think, frankly, is a bit bonkers.”

He added devolution was “about the market, and it’s about Government, and it’s about institutions like the universities working together” on regional priorities.

He also said: “I think the water companies want to be responsible to their shareholders, don’t they? They’re a private organisation.

“So, it’s about having the right devolution in the right places.”

Mr Bristow said: “Devolution is just not a means for growth itself.

“You can’t just say devolution is going to solve all our problems.

“It’s not going to solve the problems associated with defence, it’s not going to solve the problems associated with welfare – the fact we’re paying more on welfare than we raise in income tax.

“It’s not going to solve some of these big fundamental state-led issues, but what it can do is deliver growth in targeted areas.”