Directly elected mayors could pave the way for a powerful new system local government, but only if they are given the powers they need,says Colin Copus.

At the same time that Labour Party members were cheering the election of Sir Peter Soulsby as the new directly elected mayor of Leicester at the May elections, Labour and Conservative supporters in Great Yarmouth were together cheering the ‘No' vote in their mayoral referendum. Nothing demonstrates more the struggle to change the nature of local government than these two scenes of jubilant party workers.