Copeland Mayoral election to take place at same time as General Election

The News and Star reports that the government is bringing forward primary legislation at the request of Copeland Council to allow the election for the new post of Directly Elected Mayor to take place at the same time as the General Election and the election for the other members of Copeland Council.

I am aware that there are now two opinions about this, though in the run up to the referendum there appeared to be a consensus that if there was a "Yes" vote both the council and pro-Mayor campaigners woud prefer the option of a mayoral election on 7th May 2015.

I note that the "Copeland Elected Mayor" website which I referred to in a post earlier today currently (5.35pm on 21st June)  describes this option as having the support of both the petition organiser and the council.

Following on from the size of the "Yes" vote I think a larger number of people wanted to 'get on with it' and to be honest I have some sympathy for that point of view.

But from the government's point of view, they had been asked to hold the election at the same time as the council and general elections by the council, the organisers of the petition, and the local MP: the fact that they are bringing in legislation especially to listen to that request demonstrates that, whether or not we think they should have listened, the government does pay attention to local representations.  

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