Norfolk is being encouraged to sign up for an elected mayor. Former EDP business and politics editor RICHARD PORRITT considers whether it is really in the county's best interests

It has long been the goal of the government to devolve power to the regions.

And the potential positives for Norfolk are fairly clear.

As it stands other elected mayors from across England – be they from Manchester, Sheffield or elsewhere – have direct negotiations with the Treasury and other government departments.

No-one from Norfolk currently has those same high-level conversations.

The lobbying efforts of other regions to get government cash and to raise the issues that affect their public services are heard long before the civil servants get round to dealing with our lowly local authorities.

And it’s fairly obvious.

In the 332-page levelling up white paper released this month, Norwich is mentioned just nine times – and never to unveil any new money.

Meanwhile the Red Wall seats – and the north in general – shouts far louder than the east. And that region is being heard.

Andy Burnham - the mayor of Greater Manchester - is one of the most prominent politicians in the country, a leading voice of opposition to the government and a very vocal advocate for his region.

Andrew Proctor, by contrast, is unknown outside of Norfolk and, I suspect, not that well known even within the county, even though he is the leader of the county council.

So if an elected mayor would give the region a louder voice to fight for the east, then it is a prospect seriously worth investigating.

But there are downsides to consider.

Why is the government so obsessed with having mayors? Why this desperation to seemingly hand away power from the centre to the regions, when so many governments over the years have wanted to drag powers away from local authorities.

Without wanting to sound cynical, could it be about accountability?

If things aren’t going well, it could be awfully useful for central government to be able to point the finger at someone else.

This has already happened time and again in London and Manchester.

When the blame game is played, Westminster and Whitehall find it is useful for elected mayors to carry the can - even when it isn't always their fault.

There is another danger too. And that is that it could entrench a one-party state in Norfolk.

Given the voting patterns in Westminster and council elections, it seems likely we would end up with a Conservative mayor... and by quite some distance. It is hard to see any opposition candidate ever seriously challenging the Tories.

That might be the will of the local people, but would a succession of elections with the same result be healthy for our democracy or our region.

At least at the moment, the county's array of local councils reflect its political diversity. All three major national parties currently hold some form of power in the county.

And there is another nagging sense of doubt when it comes to this government policy - and that is the manner in which it is being promoted.

The idea certainly does have some logic to it - the greater prominence it would inevitably bring the county on the national scene.

But it is hard to escape the feeling that there is a bit of arm-twisting going on here.

The drive for an elected mayor has been lumped in with the government's much vaunted levelling up agenda.

The very clear implication is that the region's best shot of getting some serious investment and helping its most deprived areas is if it signs up for an elected mayor.

The case for a mayor is a strong one, but the government should be careful how they promote it.

Norfolk should not be pushed into this. The county must do what is in the best interests of those who live here. Not in the best interests of Whitehall or Westminster.

Richard Porritt is the former business and political editor of the EDP. He is now editor of the Norwich Evening News