WEST Devon becomes an electoral battleground today as rival campaigns launch their strategy in the mayoral referendum.

Tavistock, Okehampton and many villages are to be blitzed with leaflets urging people to vote in the vitally important poll.

The campaigns will coincide with the arrival of postal ballot forms on the doormats of borough residents, asking them whether they want a directly-elected mayor.

A vote in favour would usher in the biggest shake-up of local government in the area in almost 30 years.

It would see the council run by a mayor who would select a cabinet of between two and ten members from elected borough councillors.

Those who favour the radical change say it would lead to savings as an elected mayor would be prepared to 'shoot sacred cows' and be able to speed decision making.

But opponents claim the executive mayoral system would mean decisions being taken behind closed doors and lead to 'cronyism'.

They favour the alternative of a streamlined system under which committees are responsible for their own budgets — but those opposed to that say it would do little to cut bureaucracy.

West Devon Council's Conservative Group leader Dick Eberlie, who is campaigning against the idea of a directly-elected mayor, said he would be distributing a leaflet that was 'direct and to the point'.

He is printing a maximum of 10,000 leaflets — with up to 4,000 being delivered in Tavistock. He aims to get the leaflets to Okehampton, Tavistock and the Princetown, Chagford and Lydford areas.

'The leaflets will not go to each house, but in areas of concentration so that they can be distributed quickly and efficiently,' said Cllr Eberlie.

'I hope we will appeal across the board. I have a group of helpers who will start on Monday.'

Liberal Democrats on the council are in both camps — the party has no national policy on the issue.

Group leader Nicholas Waterhouse and Cllr Noel Cartwright are campaigning in favour of the elected mayor system and have teamed up to produce a leaflet.

Cllr Waterhouse said: 'When the issue is explained and some of the myths are knocked on the head then people become interested in the proposal for an elected mayor.'

Cllr Waterhouse said he aimed to get as many leaflets as possible delivered to households in Tavistock and villages.

'Our major activity will be over this weekend. Inevitably, we shall be concentrating our efforts on where we can do a lot in a short time.'

Cllr Cartwright is to carry out a similar operation in the north of the borough.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats opposed to the mayoral idea are preparing to deliver 15,000 leaflets urging people to vote No.

Liberal Democrat Cllr David Stapleton said there was a team of helpers drawn from Tavistock members to help deliver 10,000 leaflets in the Tavistock area. Leaflets would also

be delivered in

Okehampton.

'We are doing this because we feel the public are under-informed about this issue. The leaflet is a straightforward one that gives the problems that we associate with the mayor.'

Cllr Stapleton said the target for leaflet delivery was Friday and the weekend. 'We are fairly well organised.'

Independent Cllr Pat Warne, of Tavistock, favours the directly-elected mayor option, but will not be leafleting on the issue.

She said: 'I do not have the facilities like the political people do — I don't think the public wants anymore paperwork coming through their door.

'I'm doing a lot by going out and about and people are asking me about the issue.'

West Devon is one of only six areas in the country currently taking part in a referendum. Ballot papers, together with a pre-paid envelope for their return, are being delivered throughout the borough from today (Thursday). They have to be returned by post to the Electoral Reform Service in London by the end of the month.

If voters plump for the mayoral option an election will take place in May.