Salford referendum votes for directly elected mayor

A referendum in Salford has resulted in favour of having a directly elected mayor for the city.

Results from the poll showed 17,344 voted yes against 13,653 votes no, thus endorsing the new proposal. But turnout was just 18.1% of the city's 171,000 eligible voters.

The result means residents will now vote to directly chose a mayor instead of the old system where the effective leader of the authority was chosen internally by councillors from the ruling party.

The Government is keen to see US-style directly elected mayors in big cities to engage voters more closely in local politics and have a say in how local taxpayers' cash is being spent.

The Yes campaign said the public should elect the mayor, instead of politicians from the ruling party deciding behind closed doors.

The result means Salford residents will
vote for their first directly elected in mayor in May

Local businessman Geoffrey Berg, who triggered Salford's referendum by collecting enough signatures in the petition, said: "I'm very pleased about it because the council originally said there should not be a vote."

Leader of the council, Councillor Merry said he would put his name forward to be Labour's candidate in the election.

He said: "The real issue is the future of Salford and that's what I will be fighting for."

No campaigners said the new system would undermine democracy, by taking power away from local councillors and putting it in the hands of a single elected figurehead.

Salford's first-ever mayoral election will now be held on May 3, 2012, the same day as referenda are being held in Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, Sheffield and Wakefield.

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