Whilst we in Bury will be playing a part in the election of a new Elected Mayor for Greater Manchester this will not be the only election for such a post. Elections for Elected Mayors will also be held on Merseyside and in the West Midlands. The main cycle of elections will feature the County Councils. More fragmented thanks to the creation of more Unitary Authorities there are still plenty of County Councils who are elected every four years and the first Thursday of May will see thousands of candidates standing for election.
On the Parliamentary front the one question I am asked more than any other at the moment is ‘Will there be a General Election this year?’ Well, the PM has said she does not believe there is need for an election before 2020. The Conservatives were elected on a manifesto which they are proceeding to implement. As always with politics I don’t suppose it could be ruled out completely but if I am pressed I have to say I think it is unlikely.
There will of course be a Parliamentary by-election up in the Cumbrian constituency of Copeland at some point caused by the resignation of the sitting Labour MP. The result there will no doubt set commentators wondering again about an early election but whatever the result there the big picture is that the Government has plenty to do with extricating us from the European Union and implementing the manifesto.
David Nuttall 
The Mayors job will probably go to bendy Mr Burnham. Seem to recollect that an elected mayor was one of Mr Prescotts great ideas. Rejected wholeheartedly I remember 1st time round, but never mind what we really need is another layer of management. One of Mr P’s bright ideas along with us all rushing onto public transport or he’d resign, another was scrapping the Lords (where he now collects a shilling or two) and then politicians wonder why we are cynical.