Boris to rescue 'The Valleys'?

I am far from convinced by the idea floated by the Institute for Welsh Affairs of an elected Mayor for 'The Valleys'. It sounds like an idea from somebody who doesn't live in South Wales
(oh, it is!) It also sounds quite patronizing, and quite frankly if I should be excited about praising the system which elected Boris Johnson as Mayor of London then there is something seriously wrong! As Valleys Mam says in her impassioned blog on this issue, there are schemes to re- energise said communities already in place. Would a Boris-esque hero save 'The Valleys' from destruction and doom?

The whole point of devolution is to bring politics closer to the people. I certainly don't believe that another tier of government in the form of a Mayor is the answer to the question in relation to the development of the South Wales communities that are mentioned in the report.

And while we're on the subject, where do you actually stop when you talk about 'The Valleys'? There's been arguments over many a year now within valleys communities themselves about who are the real valleys communities (Yes, its true) Do we really want to open up that debate again?! ( I think of the old Aberdare, Rhondda hatred for one which stems from the Miners strikes.)

The fact that the report was launched in Cardiff says it all, really. It would also help if the Westminster government stopped their centralisation agenda of closing HMRC offices that provide key jobs for people in the South Wales area, stop closing Job Centre offices and moving all the positions to Cardiff, and stop actively working against the Welsh Assembly Government's agenda of seeking to devolve key offices to areas such as Merthyr Tydfil.

Let the debate continue.