News
Hackney Lib Dems announce Mayoral Candidate "A Mayor for a Short Season"
2010-03-22 17:49:45
Adrian Gee-Turner will stand as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor in the local government elections on the 6th May
Adrian was Chair of the Lib Dem group on Hackney Council from 1998 to 2002 and Chair of the overview and scrutiny panel. Adrian was also the Lib-Dem Spokesperson on the Local Government Democracy committee in Hackney.
Adrian has been a Lib Dem member since 1996 and has contested parliamentary elections in Dagenham (2001) and Croydon North (2005). Adrian is married and lives in Stoke Newington, Hackney. They are expecting their first child in April.
Adrian has worked in the medical devices sector for more than fifteen years and has extensive managerial and executive experience. He is also a long time trade unionist and has been an executive member of the Association of Liberal Democrat Trade Unionists. He has for the last eight years been the secretary of the Professional Sales Association, London Branch of Unite.
While Adrian has all the qualities needed for mayor, his agenda is to be a
“Mayor for a Short Season”
and to return power to the elected representatives. He intends to hold a referendum by 2011 at the latest andwill recommend government by a cabinet comprised of members of the majority party choosing their own Chair, with the opposition holding the scrutiny functions.
“ An executive mayor is an expensive and unnecessary layer of bureaucracy” he says, “and inevitably leads to arbitrary and undemocratic decisions”
In the meantime Adrian pledges that the mayor's budget will immediately be cut.
“While we have a mayor, that post needs to be properly funded – but not excessively funded. We will aim to cut the Mayor's budget by 50%, starting with the Mayor's own salary. This is a time when every penny needs to go to local services”.
In addition, Adrian aims to be accountable to the people of Hackney. He will hold regular Mayor's Question times which will be open to the public.
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