From Council With A Cabinet To Mayor-council Plan

The labor government initiated the programs of local government modernization in1997and enacted the following acts:London Government Act1997and Local Government Act2000(England and Wales). The aims of the two acts are establishing comparatively independent, embodying leadership local government in London and other cities so that the executive power can be strengthened, whereby make and implement policies which can promote the economic and social development in local. Of course, the power must be supervised effectively. The labor government previously listed the option of mayoral system, but it encountered severe objection. The government had to list the following three options:council with a cabinet, mayor-manager system and mayor-council plan. However, the central government still dedicated to promote the mayoral system. But, the actual condition didn’t follow the expectation of the central government and the majority of them adopted the system of council with a cabinet, which made the central government very disappointed. The following coalition government continued the policy of the labor government which was in favor of the mayor-council plan and further required the12largest city in England to carry on referendum on whether adopt the mayor-council system or not. The change of the political system was carried on in the above circumstances.The introductory section of the paper includes:the reason and the significance of this research; the overview of the current research achievement; the basic information of Bristol; some basic conception of the paper.The first part of the paper studies the origin of the change of the political system in Bristol, that’s the legal push of the central government. In order to promote the establishment of the mayor-council plan in the cities in England and Wales, the central government enacted many relative laws and policies. The order of referendum was made by the central government. But the central government didn’t interfere the local residents’ right of self-option.The second part of the paper studies the process of the change of the political system in Bristol. That’s the debate among the people who were in favor and the people against the mayor-council plan. The two parts also carried on campaigns so that they could seek more political support. They were initiative activities of the residents. The change of political system in Bristol was a big event for the residents of Bristol.The third part of the paper studies the result of the change of the political system in Bristol. Two referendums were carried on in Bristol. One was on whether adopting the mayor-council plan or not, the other was the election of the mayor. Through the two referendums, the first mayor appeared. Although the two referendums are procedures, they have a decisive role in the change of the political system in Bristol.The fourth part of the paper studies the influence of the change of the political system in Bristol. The change of the political system will definitely alter the operation of the local politics. The local parties, corporations and residents will participate in the politics in a new manner. More and more people would take part in the public affairs.The last part of the paper will retrospect and summary the above analysis and reflect on the process of the change of the political change in Bristol. Political system has a deep extent of path dependency, which needs some interference from central government. But such interference shouldn’t be compelling and should respect citizen’s right of self-option.