Just 12 months ago Leicester stood where Birmingham is now standing – on the cusp of the most significant constitutional change the city had seen in generations.

For many people, the prospect of an elected mayor for Leicester was something they rightly questioned.

It was a step in to the unknown. Of course it created fears and raised questions that couldn’t be immediately answered.

Some people raised concerns about the prospect of an unaccountable autocrat being given a green light to push forward their own agenda. Others asked whether this would open the doors to someone without the skills or experience to do the job. And what of the role of Lord

Mayor? Would this new elected mayor spell the end of decades of civic tradition in the city?

It is inevitable that people in Birmingham are feeling some of that uncertainty now.

When Leicester City Council decided it wanted an elected mayor to run the city, it took a brave step.

Only a handful of cities in England have an elected mayor, so there is relatively little experience here of how the role works in practice.

Across the world, though, most big cities have elected mayors and the strong leadership they give is widely seen as indispensable.

But I believe the role of city mayor doesn’t just boost leadership. My experience as city mayor of Leicester tells me that it also increases democracy and accountability.

Elected mayors provide a direct way for people to choose the person they want to provide leadership for their city. People clearly feel a much closer connection to the role of city mayor than they ever did to the leader of the council.

I can say that from experience, having previously been the leader of Leicester city Council for more than 17 years.

The mayoral election campaign in Leicester unquestionably renewed people’s interest in local governance and how the council works.

With my election rivals, I took part in a series of public hustings ahead of the mayoral election last May. The debates were some of the liveliest, impassioned and well informed I had been involved in for years.