THE Government's suggestion of a directly elected mayor for Devon seems to be going down like a lead balloon.
County councils have been asked to consider the idea before local government is re-organised next year. One option is to introduce a directly elected mayor, for which five percent of voters — 27,350 in Devon —must sign a petition in favour.
But Tavistock mayor Judith Williams was strongly against. 'The people of Devon would rather have one of their own working on the council than appoint someone who is in it for their ego.' she said. 'That is what seems to have happened in London.'
Town mayors chosen from the council by councillors had experience of local affairs, whereas a directly elected mayor might not have, she argued.
She would like to see a lot more people turn out for local council elections. 'We only had around a 39 per cent turn-out last time,' she said. 'Not many would turn out to vote for a mayor of Devon, I think.'
Okehampton's mayor Christine Marsh was also opposed. 'I think the existing system is fine — people identify with their own local mayor, not with the county,' she said.
County councillor Saxon Spence (Labour) said she would support the existing system of a council leader and an executive committee. 'I don't think a directly elected mayor is appropriate for a shire county, though it may be attractive to people in the cities,' she said. 'People identify with their own towns and their own mayors.'
Another county councillor Christine Channon (Conservative) agreed with her. 'Directly elected mayors may be suitable for cities like Plymouth or Torbay but wouldn't suit the counties so well,' she said. 'The present system is far from perfect, but it is preferable to a directly elected mayor.'
She was worried that authorities with directly elected mayors could split off from the Local Government Association and thereby affect its ability to speak with one voice for local councils.
If a petition by five per cent of the electorate is raised by April 1, there will be a Devon referendum on whether to stay with the existing system or change to a directly elected mayor with either a council manager or an executive committee.