Why care about Mayors
Margaret Evans
Writer, researcher & former Mayor of Hamilton
Speech notes
Given the extent of internal interest in the topic of leadership, there is surprisingly not an extensive source of writing on 'The Mayor' - what mayors do, how their roles fit within the operation of their councils, and whether they are consistent with community expectations.
Yet their role can be a vital within the economic context - not just to the local economy within their district, but also well beyond - influencing and impacting upon the regional & national economies.
For instance - the film industry. In cities fortunate enough to have elected Mayors willing to champion the film industry - eg Wellington, Waitakere & New Plymouth - the economic flow-through is international as well. My first lessons on 'Film Cities' came from Chinese sister city Wuxi - where 'history' film sets are major tourist attractions, & Toronto - with 'film friendly' city policies (passed on to Wellington because my own city preferred cows...)
HISTORY OF THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
Ancient roles & functions - 'local rulers' administering laws and justice, dating back 2,500 years to Europe's City States & 'popular election'. Pericles of Athens - Athens as the art & cultural centre of the world (elected) ...'Majores Palatii' (appointed by monarchs) ...London's Dick Whittington -1397 (elected)
Looking backwards - The movers & shakers (& sometimes those standing behind them) were the princes of Europe's principalities or 'City States', the Ottoman empire's 'little emperors', India's local Mughal princes, China's Mandarins, Japan's Shoguns...all local leaders, even at the time of great & visionary 'paramount' chieftains.
Caution - As democracy has unfolded since the 19th century, Weber's century-old concerns - the need for bureaucratic control to be countered by political power & authority to ensure balance in governance ('the antidemocratic autocracy of bureaucracy')
IN NZ TODAY
The Mayor is 'a free agent' with ultimate accountability to the electorate at the ballot box (Salter & Doogan, 1997)
Local Leadership moving to 'Civil Society'
A decade ago, there was worldwide optimism that 'LOCAL' would provide sustainable solutions to most of Planet Earth's ills - 'Thinking Globally, Acting Locally'. Mayors were seen as the key. This is no longer the case. The trend now is 'civil society'. 'Local leadership' is increasingly being claimed by sector and issue groups, disenchanted by the City Hall model (as well as the Parliamentary one). At election-time, voters don't know the local council candidates, and in my view, communities are increasingly allowing themselves to be ruled by the Politics of Cynicism & Disillusionment.
Yet Local & Regional Governments are now required to do more than just wave the flag for the development of their local patch. By law, they've got to get engaged.
The 2002 Local Government legislation emphasises the robust role of Local Councils in fostering sustainable community wellbeing (and there is specific reference to economic, as well as environmental, social and cultural factors). And there are new tools - such as LTCCPs (Long Term Council Community Plans), & LGSs (Local Governance Statements). And they are required to think across boundaries.
However there is emerging doubt that local councils will be able to deliver on their newly prescribed responsibilities.
The 'obstacle race' includes
- Diminishing public interest
- Increasingly sophisticated & loud 'issue' groups (as Transpower is discovering)
- Policy mediocrity & inconsistency (at local, regional & national levels)
- The allure of the 'Brown & Grey Agenda' (tangibles) & denial of the 'Rainbow' Agenda (people, planet & sustainable lifestyles)
- The infective disease 'triennium-itis'
Recent UK review - Voter turn-out below 30%) "calls into question the legitimacy of local councils" (Sweeting, 2002).
Some councils (and mayors) are tempted to confine themselves and become 'Infrastructure Boards' focussed on what used to be called 'The 3 'Rs' ' - roading, rubbish and rates. This narrow view leaves community business up to the community, & demotes the mayor from 'Civic Leader' to Chairman of the Board.
There is a need to restore confidence and interest in Local Government ... & that means outward looking Mayoral Leadership -
Mayors are still the last port of call for many people, as well as the first port of call.
They know what's going on; they know who's who ...well they do if they're doing their job properly.
The mayoral open door is a source of ideas and motivation - 'anything is possible'.
To quote Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt:
Farmers sit on tractors & think about cars that run on water, and then they want to talk to someone about it, and the mayor's good choice. They know they can get contacts and publicity, and the mayor can seize on the good ideas and promote them.
That depends on the mayor!
In New Zealand
Auckland's Dove Meyer Robinson - focussed on plumbing & transport but remembered for his overall vision for the Queen City...(often with regret at what might have been if that vision had been implemented).
The '1990s Women' - Cath Tizard, Fran Wild, Vicki Buck, Sukhi Turner, Georgina Beyer (confirmed by Taxi Driver surveys). For having their bums on the civic driver's seat and eyes on the future - focussed on overall community development, & truly understanding the ancient need for festivals & celebrations & visitors & 'social capital' underpinning the local & regional economy. Champions who aimed to get everyone singing the songs.
The Eco-Champions - the successive mayors of New Zealand's waterside cities such as New Plymouth, Whangarei, Nelson ...& Napier. Creating inspiring village greens integrated with sea & rivers - 'built' environments with 'soul'....& promoting arts, culture & creativity.
The 'Celebrities'...(love them or leave them!!!). They are the profile of their communities, & national figures. Who they are becomes as important as what they do. Tim Shadbolt ... Dick Hubbard (& John Banks), Michael Laws ...Peter Tennent during the lead-up to last week's WOMAD Festival!!!!
WE HAVE SOME GREAT MAYORS, BUT THEY ARE AN UNDER-UTILISED RESOURCE!!!!
MY RESEARCH
The 'Class of 1998-2001' (60% response) - The incumbents are quite different today, but the issues are not, and there is much greater awareness & understanding of 'sustainability' & 'sustainable development'.
The Mayors overwhelmingly identified their key roles (& responsibilities) as 'the head of council' and 'community advocate'.
They also confirmed - in practice - their community's expectation that they would 'give the lead' on a wide range of issues (many of them related to central government functions). The issue of 'Economic Development' was top of the list, with 80% of the mayors pinpointing this as the most frequent issue brought to their office (requiring their attention at least once a week). The balance 20% also ranked this issue highly (requiring attention at least once a month).
Mayoral Leadership
Mayors have three intertwined leadership roles (and functions) - and they all relate to the fostering of community well-being, underpinned by the 2002 law, and with specific reference to economic factors (as well as social, cultural & environmental).
- Political Leadership - Leader of the Council
Roles here include the 'presiding' function and acting as council spokesperson, as well as most importantly -
- Leading the council's stewardship of public assets
- Leading the council to act in accord with its statutory responsibilities, to uphold the public interest, & display the highest standard of ethical conduct - ensuring the community has justifiable trust & confidence in the integrity of its local government
- Policy Leadership
Here the role & function includes:
- Leading the 'translation of community aspirations into defined outcomes' (CD, 2001)
- Leading the policy development & communication process - from the community to council, within the council, between the administration & the council, and from the council back to the community.
Mayors in my research identified the need to 'assert leadership & sell your vision to council'
'Use every means at your disposal: debate & confrontation, diplomacy & grovelling, counselling by key outside parties & subtle forms of pressure,
avoidance, and going to great lengths to work around them ['difficult' councillors & CEOs]; psychological & emotional tactics.'
- Community Leadership
Upon the bad news ...
'When disasters strike our shores - whether they take the form of bushfires, earthquakes or mass murder - it is often local government leaders that step up to the plate'
(John Ross, 2002)
Basil Morrison kept gumboots in his boot.
And when it's good news ...People want to see the mayor leading the parade (not the deputy)!!!
But leadership is deep as well as 'showy'
Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard (another of NZ's sustainability pioneers) -
"Leadership is not just leading people where they want to go - it's about leading them where they 'ought' to go...
(President Jimmy Carter's wife Rosalyn)
THE ACADEMIC VIEW
Mountain of literature on leadership but in the past few years most focussed on corporate CEOs and systems & methodologies. Attempting to find the elusive leadership recipe for advice, training & recruitment purposes - for 'executives' to apply it to make more money for 'the company' (and themselves!!!)... rather than 'the enhancement of the local or regional economy (& therefore local community well-being...)
Some exceptions - the controversial Richard Florida - The most 'successful cities' are where 'people bring the soul' (eg Melbourne) - Creative types, bohemians and gays...creating social & artistic capital...
This is the argument in favour of 'lifestyle' as the key factor in keeping the locals positive & optimistic & ambitious for 'better' (key drivers of development), & also encourages the inward flow of new people & investment dollars.
(But it's not that simple - & Auckland illustrates this. Urbanisation is a global phenomenon & the biggest cities get bigger - where the brightest lights are)
BEYOND MY RESEARCH
Essential for NZ that we focus on the international marketplace
I am keenly aware that efforts to build international partnerships are hamstrung by mayors fearing being seen as globetrotters BUT SELL THE VISION & THE VALUE !!!
NB Opportunities through 'International Visitor' programmes (US & UK etc)
We're an export nation and we get a really big spend from tourists, so it does strike as strange to criticise our community leaders for travelling overseas to build relationships with other cities, other mayors...particularly when offshore 'study' is so valued in 'executive' development & an expectation in the academic industry.
If NZ is to keep up with the Global pace, to meet the demands of a changing international environment, our Local Leaders must do more than 'Google'. NOT 'junkets', but 'study' trips, the occasional appropriate conference, & 'the forging of Local Leader relationships'.
And promote cross-sector 'local & regional collaboration' - eg Large buckets of 'public' Dollars spent by the Education sector on offshore travel in the name of Export Education - largely ad hoc adventures aimed at capturing dollars rather than 'sustainable development' -'Ground Hog Day' in style, failing to build on others' pioneering efforts. Considerable damage done to the kiwi image offshore through the failure to bring international students into the local community 'bosom' (unlike the Colombo Plan of the past). Mayors have a key role here...
Develop Sister Cities...& even better 'Partner Cities'...eg Melbourne ...but look further (particularly in the Asia-Pacific Region!!!!)...
- India (NB World Mayors Conference in Cochin, Kerala 2nd-4th April)
- China & Korea (South)
- Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia
Don't just send the staff!
Collaborate - Government agencies, Chambers of Commerce, building on local business interests & local 'homeland' knowledge (eg China, Korea, India etc).
Focus on integrated & sustainable (long haul) opportunities by developing key relationships - economic, environmental, social & cultural (the four pegs of sustainability)
THINKING GLOBALLY - ACTING LOCALLY (My own experience ...)
- Current debate re Electricity & NZ's energy infrastructure - Mayors could (and should) lead the development of local energy plans & strategies.
- China & the Three Gorges dam (a disaster?), Scotland & its giant wind towers (Waikato does not want pylons)... Compared with Heidelberg's 'distributed generation'.
- Germany & Saxon Anhalt's 'dead' coal region trying to become a lake district
- Sea & Airports essential & Mayors can lead inter-regional collaboration...
- Sacramento - the inland port concept (& Hamilton's International Airport)
- Cost of compliance/ red tape issues - Mayors can take driver's seat...RMA & District Plans...one nationwide policy format? adding local flavours ...stop the 'cost plus' & 'fee for service' bureaucracy (Caf?© Society footpath charges & CV rating)
- Visionary/Inspirational...
- Kitakyushu (Japan) - the power of the people & 'listening' mayors
- Wuxi (China) - 'The Three Kingdoms' (reliving history - huge tourism)
- Seoul (Korea) - '10 million trees of Life'...& Badaling (China) JV reforestation with Aeon Corp.
- Urban Design ...Hyde Park (London), Central Park (New York) & Washington DC...Pericles' Parthenon ...testament to local leaders with foresight...and that Mayors can 'personify' 'THE VILLAGE GREEN', the heart of the community, the 'commons'.
SO HOW CAN MAYORS ADD VALUE?
To the Mayors
- Lift up your sights & look outwards (beyond the roads & drains). Be an expert Mayor. Be inspired.
- Focus on learning from others (in and out of your own patch) - issues & trends, policy & practice - & share your experiences.
- Forge relationships widely. Collaborate. Listen. Always remember that somewhere someone will be doing something you and your community can learn/benefit from.
- Join the Mayoral Club & find some 'friends' - locally, regionally, nationally, internationally. Find out who & what works.
- Benefit from & contribute to Sister Cities/Partner Cities (Australia - India)
- Use your knowledge & inspiration to LEAD your council & its policy direction.
The recommended mayoral recipe:
Open door - take it all on board, Travel & Google ...Collaboration... Festivals & Celebrations...Gusto ...Develop quality Media relationships...
To the Business Sector
- Get involved with your mayor & ask what YOU can do for your city/your community.
- Remember you're a long-haul citizen (not just a business person)
- Have confidence in tomorrow (for your grandchildren, not just your business)
- Think beyond your own pockets & outside the square.
- Put up some of YOUR dollars to assist 'community well-being'.
- Remember the world's biggest businesses are Tourism & the Business of Arts & Entertainment (the Creative Industries) - there's room for the tiniest player in the tiniest local patch.
- Focus on 'Sustainable Business'
SUMMARY
Mayors are probably the most important leaders in the country...
That's why we should care about them
As New York's Rudy Guiliani understood - 'They're Responsible'
As Local Leaders & Leaders of their councils...For Fostering Economic Development - within the sustainable quartet (economic, environmental, social & cultural wellbeing)
And the right ones can be very good at it!!!!!
They are the contemporary 'Princes' of our 'principalities' - our Local States.
WORK TOGETHER, BUILD THE SPIRIT, THINK GLOBALLY
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