Member

I believe that if you have a referendum, or, for that matter, a decision of the council that it wants to run the system in a particular way, why not? Nobody in Rotherham, Barnsley or Derbyshire gives a fig how Sheffield’s decision-making process works so long as it works—nobody—so, even with the modest amendments that have now been made, why impose a system when you simply do not have to? It is meddling, muddled and not democratic. I am desperate to save my Government from going down the wrong road. If we believe in devolution and community empowerment, we should ensure that we can practise it, which means setting aside Clause 59 and Schedule 27.