Copeland will vote on 22nd May on whether to have a directly-elected mayor.

On 22nd May voters in Copeland will get to vote on two things

1) Who should represent them in the European parliament, and

2) Whether to replace the existing job of Leader of Copeland Council with a directly elected mayor.

A group of local residents who are not connected to any political party secured 3,754 signatures on a petition for the referendum.

If the referendum vote is a "Yes" the council is proposing to hold the first mayoral election on or about 16th October. I would have thought it more sensible to hold the election at the same time as the rest of the council comes up for election in May 2015, but the present administration says the law (passed by the previous governent) won't initially let them do that. The council are also quoting highly inflated figures for the cost of an elected mayor, which in my opinion fail to take adequate account of the larger number of postitions an elected mayor would or at least could replace.

I can't believe it would be beyond the wit of man, if Copeland did have an elected mayor, to synchronise the elections from 2019 onwards so as to reduce the cost and inconvenience.

I also welcome the opportunity for a debate on the way forward for Copeland. I am minded to vote "Yes" in the referendum because any change would at least shake up the complacent and arrogant administration which has run this borough into the ground for decades.

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