An executive Mayor for Auckland?

The Herald reports:

There is a strong case in Auckland for the political model that produced Boris Johnson, and before that Ken Livingstone, as Mayor of London, says a leading expert on local governance.

And to be effective, a directly elected Auckland mayor should have executive powers, possibly a four-year term and be supported by a cabinet, said Robin Hambleton, professor of city leadership at the University of West of England in Bristol.

I am quite attracted to this proposal. It does work well in London, and it allows the public to elect someone with the powers to make change or implement a manifesto, and likewise gives the public the power to sack someone and change course. The Mayor is held accountable by the Assembly

The full paper by Professor Hambleton is here. It’s an interesting read and only 38 pages.