MARK Meredith says he has left behind a powerful legacy of social, political and economic improvements in Stoke-on-Trent, but it will take up to 20 years for people to see the benefits of his rule.

He may be leaving office on Monday under a cloud of controversy, but he believes people will one day look back more fondly on the brief political experiment that was the elected mayoral system.

When the former blinds company director was swept into office with a landslide majority in May 2005, he could never have foreseen that he would be forced from power in a city-wide referendum after a single term, or that he would step down in the midst of a complex police investigation into alleged political corruption.

But reflecting on his rollercoaster ride in politics, the 43-year-old insists he has no regrets and will walk away proud to have served his city.

He said: "When I stood for mayor, I felt as though the city needed a clear and decisive leadership in certain areas of policy.

"The city wasn't making the most of the potential opportunities that were there for us and we also needed to try to create a new style of politics to engage people more.

"Education and regeneration were the two areas I was particularly interested in, but the people's top priority was tackling anti-social behaviour, which they were saying was the main issue in Stoke-on-Trent at that time.

"I was also very committed to providing value for money for people through lower council tax rises, although it wasn't always an easy fight on budget day."

But his budget-day wrangling over council tax levels were soon dwarfed by some of the major political conflicts that erupted as councillors rebelled against what they saw as the mayor's monopoly on power in the city.

Labour's weakening grip on power led Mr Meredith to create a unique power-sharing coalition between his own party, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats to give him the numbers he needed to push key policies through an increasingly hostile chamber.

"I knew there would be a battle because the overwhelming majority of the political establishment of Stoke-on-Trent were opposed to the mayoral system and would do almost anything to undermine it at every stage.

"But I was determined to work with the majority of councillors.

"I had more votes in 2005 than all of the Labour group combined, but my mandate certainly wasn't always respected by members in the chamber.

"However, I think I've proved that where there's a will there's a way, and there has actually been a lot of political co-operation.

"We were unique in British politics in having a cabinet of Conservatives, Lib-Dems, some Independents and Labour all working together for the good of the city.

"Unfortunately there was an equal number of councillors that seemed opposed to the process, but I think about 80 per cent of my political objectives were achieved."

Mr Meredith believes his greatest achievements, which will become his enduring legacy, lie in his efforts to reduce crime, transform education and revitalise the city's economic prospects.

He said: "Following the launch of my anti-social behaviour green paper we have seen more police on the streets, a reorganisation of police sector boundaries to mirror our own administrative boundaries, 10 extra PCSOs funded by the council, the anti-social behaviour hotline and the introduction of talking CCTV cameras.

"We are now a beacon authority on crime and community safety and our political direction and our strong partnerships with other agencies have had a big impact on improving the quality of life in the city."

Mr Meredith is also convinced that his four years in power have had a catalytic effect on efforts to regenerate the city.

He said: "One of the key things was the creation of the North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership.

"For the future of our long-term regeneration plans it was vital that we had a delivery vehicle that could draw down vast sums of public money and give the private sector confidence that we could deliver the plans.

"We needed to have a plan, because we didn't have one when I came into office, but we created the NSRP within 14 months of my election.

"We now have a five-year business plan and the foundations for regeneration are much firmer than they were before.

"That will have a huge impact that will be around for many, many years to come and people are already beginning to see changes happening."

But the main area where the elected mayor believes his administration has delivered has also proved to be one of the most controversial episodes of his political career.

"Education was a top priority from day one, because our schools were massively under-performing and the area was crying out for strong leadership," he said.

"The Government was questioning the council's plans for 15 smaller comprehensive schools and intervening in the running of children's services.

"I was almost in a minority of one in welcoming the Government intervention and the Serco team, which brought a level of professional service that surpassed every expectation and developed a plan for how education in the city will be transformed.

"As a result, the next generation of youngsters will get life chances that the previous one could only dream of.

"I understand people's fears of change, because it is a radically different way of delivering education.

"But when people see the academies coming out of the ground and the inspirational places of educational excellence then the plan we have endorsed will be seen as the right plan for Stoke-on-Trent.

"You can either be an opportunistic politician who looks for the short-term gains, or you stick with your core values and do the right things and plan for the future.

"I was never going to plan for the short-term for personal popularity.

"I think in 20 years' time people will look back and say that Mark Meredith's administration did the right thing for Stoke-on-Trent."

When he hands over the reins of power to the council's new leader, Mr Meredith will step from the limelight and return to the blinds firm he had built into a thriving business.

But he warned his political adversaries that he is not ready to turn his back on politics.

He said: "I won't be going away; I will still be living and working in the city and keeping a watchful, friendly eye on the council. The new council will have some big challenges to deal with and I intend to be a critical friend, but offering constructive criticism rather than cynical criticism."

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