final elected mayor report

8/13/2019 Final Elected Mayor Report

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A Directly Elected

MAYOR

Dublinfor

On-Street Conversations ReportCompiled byThe Studio


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2 The Studio


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3Directly Elected Mayor Consultation

Contents

Introduction

Methodology

Prole of Respondents

The Conversations

Summary

Appendix

4

5

6

7

14

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4 The Studio

Introduction

Te Studio, Dublin City Councils innovation unit carried out on-street conversations to get the views of Dubliners on the proposal

for a directly elected mayor. Tis work was carried out on behalf ofa group examining the issue of a directly elected mayor for Dublin.Tis group includes elected representatives from all four localauthorities, including the Lord Mayor of Dublin and Cathaoirlighof Fingal, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and South Dublin CountyCouncils.

Te team of seven from the Studio spoke to 174 people between4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Tursday, 10th October 2013 across 6locations in Dublin City Centre. Te locations were Grafton Street,

Coppinger Row, OConnell Street, North Earl Street, Aungier Streetand Camden Street.

Photo courtesy of Jason Clarke


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Methodology

Benefits of the process

Te on-street conversation process has many benefits including thefollowing:

It engages with a large number of people in a short time frame

It encourages local authorities to listen in a new way

It is informal and low cost

It is inclusive of age, background, and ethnicity and ability; it givesa voice to people who normally may not get a chance to have theiropinion heard

It is open, honest and flexible Some people allow us to photograph them with their statement. An

image speaks volumes

In order to facilitate our conversations the questions were designed to beas open as possible to encourage people to give us their views. Te teaminitiated the conversation and then listened while taking note of whatpeople were saying, using the words of the respondents, not interpretingthem. Tis allows people to speak uninterrupted and share their views.

People were selected at random and asked four questions in relation tothe issue of a directly elected mayor. Te purpose of the conversation wasto allow people to express their views on the benefits of an elected mayorincluding potential role and functions of the office and outline any concernsthey might have. Finally a closed question with 3 choices was posed togauge if there was public support for a directly elected mayor.

Te questions asked were:

1. If I say City Mayor what springs to mind?

2. How would Dublin benefit from a directly elected mayor?

3. Would anything concern you about a directly elected mayor for Dublin?

4. If you were casting your vote today would you vote: Yes No Dont know

At the end of each conversation we asked people to fill out an A3 sheet withthe question I want Dublins Mayor to be . If people permitted we tooka photograph of them with their answers. Some of the images are included

throughout this report along with quotes from the respondents highlightedin blue.


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Prole of Respondents

Of the 174 people interviewed 75 were women and 99 were men.Te age category of the people spoken to is below

Note: 8 people did not give their age.

Age Category Number of People

15 1

18-20 16

21-30 26

31-40 31

41-50 31

51-60 40

65+ 21

12

11

116

14

Dublin City

South Dublin

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown

Fingal

Other: 19

Not specifed: 2

Respondents Council Area


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The Conversations

Below is a summary of the issues raised under each question.

1. If I say City Mayor what springs to mind?

Some people automatically thought of cities where there was adirectly elected mayor e.g. New York, London, Chicago.

Others thought more locally and referred to the Mansion Houseand 2 people mentioned the current Lord Mayor, Oisin Quinn,

whereas some people struggled to think of something due to a lackof awareness and lack of understanding of the role.

For some, the question prompted a negative response about thesystem in general and a frustration with politics, an unnecessaryrole and a waste at present.

I don't know what the

mayor does

Te chain, not surehow existing mayor,cathaoirligh get elected

An unnecessary roleand a waste at present

itle rather than job

Te guy in charge with

a hat and a suit. Fatcontroller from Tomasthe ank Engine


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2. How would Dublin benefit from a directlyelected mayor?

Some people struggled with this question as theywere uncertain of the current function and role ofthe Lord Mayor.

Generally, people were in favour of a directlyelected mayor for Dublin as they thought it

would raise the profile of the office of Mayor,highlighting what a mayor does and generallyexplain to people the issues affecting the region.

A directly elected mayor could provide a unifiedvoice and vision for Dublin. It could bring usback from the division of suburban vs urban. Itcould create one vision and one clear voice forDublin

People were positive about a directly electedmayor because they felt he would be morerepresentative of the people. People expressed thedesire for a directly elected mayor with qualities

such as integrity and honesty.

When people were asked about the type offunctions they ranged from very local issues e.g.noise pollution, potholes, paving and parking tobroader issues such as drugs, homelessness, crime,public transport, traffic, tourism and economicdevelopment.

Many felt that it should be a more active role, with

clear responsibilities, powers and accountabilityIt should be a role about doing. Only 3 peoplethought it should remain a ceremonial role.

A good mayor would speak for theCity, be articulate and really representDublin. Brian O'Driscoll would makegreat mayor

Get people involved and discussingand debating Dublin issues. It willgive people a voice

A good idea for Dublin. A Dublinperson will know what is needed andcan speak up for Dublin

Wouldnt benefit. Councillors doingnothing, wasting time and money.Wood Quay is a disaster. DCC shouldbe reformed


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Someone non-corrupt who has a sayin almost everything that happens inthe city

Te benefit would be if they put theinterests of City first and not politicalparty. Te Mayor of London has reallyachieved things for that City

Don't know another layer,disillusioned with politics, majorcampaign required

It wouldn't. Jobs for the boys


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3. Would anything concern you about a directly elected mayorfor Dublin?

Te main concerns expressed were that the role could potentiallyjust be another layer, too political and lack accountability. Peoplealso highlighted the need for a good calibre candidate as the successof a directly elected mayor was dependent not only on the range ofpowers of the mayor but the integrity and ability of the individualholding the office. Tere was a fear that it could potentially be a lotof power in the hands of one person.

Alongside the development of the office of a directly elected mayoris the need for a complete reform of the local government system.

Tere is a danger Ireland becomescentralised, that everything becomesDublin focused with the result thatfocus is pulled away from the whole ofIreland. It happened in the UK

Approximately half the populationare living in Dublin - a lot of power inthe hands of one person thats notnecessarily a negative, need greaterdevolution to local government - thecity needs a vision

My concern would be that it wouldbe an add-on the system and thesystem wouldnt be reformed


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Important that it doesnt add to cost and notduplicate role of presidents or any other officialpositions. Tere would have to be genuine optionfor non party politicians to run

We don't need one - Dublin is a village not acity. Cost is too much. Don't want to encourage apolitical ego

If the person is good, Id have no concerns.

I dont know the name of any Lord Mayor ofDublin in the past 20 years. Tey just have freedrink in the Mansion House and entertain theirfriends


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5. If you were casting your vote todaywould you vote:

Yes

No Dont know

0

30

60

90

120

150

NoYes Dont

know

No

comment

Wouldnt

vote

15

126

28

41

Photo courtesy of Jason Clarke


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Summary

Acknowledgements

Tere was a broad level of support for a directly elected mayor forDublin. However, the team felt there was a significant amount of

apathy or disinterest in the topic. Of the 174 people we spoke tothere were only a small number of people who were familiar withand understood how the current system operates and these peopletended to be in the older age categories or politically active. Temajority felt disconnected from the system, as one interviewee saida directly elected should make more of a connection with people,beyond being a figurehead.

At times people struggled to answer some of the questions, whichis understandable given that there is, as yet, no detailed proposal

outlining functions and structure of the office.

It is clear that people need more information on local government,the role of mayor and the potential benefits of a directly electedmayor to become engaged and interested in the topic.

Street conversation team

Deirdre Ni RaghallaighRuth DowlingMary MooneyZaira Rivera Fernandez

Jeremy WalesSven Anderson

Report Design

Luke Dolan (Studio intern)


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Appendix

Sample response sheets from the street conversations


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final elected mayor report

Documents