City residents to vote on elected mayor proposal

Residents of Plymouth will decide if the city should have an elected mayor, following a successful petition.

The city council confirmed on Monday the petition, organised by the group Yesdemplymouth, had 10,856 valid signatures, surpassing the required 5% of the electorate.

The council's cabinet has allocated £410,000 for the referendum, which must be held within six months.

Currently, the council leader is elected by councillors, but this role would be replaced by an elected mayor if the referendum passes.

Angus Forbes, former banker and husband of ex-Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell, leads the campaign but has withheld comments until the referendum date is set.

Plymouth last rejected an elected mayor in 2001, with 59% voting against it.

Council leader Tudor Evans criticised the referendum as a "vanity project," warning it could cost £1.5m and impact services like grass cutting.

He argued the role would not have the same powers as mayors in metropolitan areas.

Conservative group leader Andy Lugger also opposed the idea, suggesting it conflicted with government plans for larger strategic authorities.

He noted that if successful, mayoral elections would not occur until 2026, by which time local governance might change, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Labour MPs Luke Pollard and Fred Thomas echoed concerns, stating an elected mayor would bring no new powers or funding.

They argued that resources should focus on essential services rather than additional bureaucracy.

Yesdemplymouth advocates for direct leadership to address issues like poverty and crime, criticising the current system as overly political and ineffective.

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