Back in June the City of Plymouth voted against a directly-elected city mayor model. 19,840 people voted to keep the current structure of a leader of the council. 18,044 voted for a mayor in the referendum.

Three weeks before the referendum, the government confirmed they would scrap the introduction of any new directly-elected city mayors.

The majority of Labour politicians associated with Plymouth, whether it be MPs or council members were against the idea of a mayor.

The people have spoken and it’s a no, but whether or not the governments announcement played a part on what people thought about getting out and voting will never really be known.

Back at the start of June the government announced further details on the £15.6 billion of funding for local transport projects in “England’s city regions”.

Outside of the Mayoral City Regions, the government will barely spend any money on transport – especially down in the South West.

Unfortunately this shows that certain areas of the country will be continued to be ignored, whilst other areas are favoured. Many of those favoured areas are already successful economically and the ignored and some of the poorest and less economic.

As previous stated I am a member of the Labour party.

This government did inherit a hell of a mess. The country hasn’t really been in the best of the economic state since 2008, so this government has a great opportunity to bring great change across the country – also for what it was voted in for.

The government can’t go against one area having a mayor and then put a massive investment in transport in the areas that have got mayors.

Our economy needs a greater vision. One that allows it to grow across the country, not just in our area or in pockets.

Plymouth and the South West should be on the map as much as anywhere else. The economic output needs sorting.

Investment changes things. It gets the economy moving and taxes flowing. It gives people opportunities. It allows people to stay in the areas they grow up to make the opportunities that everyone deserves.

We need more power out to local communities and areas, and let them grow.

It needs to be bold.

It needs to be about everyone.