Latest news with #DarceyBussell
BBC News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Date set for referendum on mayor for Plymouth
A date has been set for a referendum to decide if Plymouth should have a directly-elected mayor paid in the region of £75,000 a City Council has to hold a referendum after a campaign, led by Angus Forbes, former banker and husband of celebrity dancer Darcey Bussell, gathered more than 10,000 signatures in favour of the said the campaign was based on false promises and hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on it would be a waste of for the referendum, due to be held on Thursday 17 July, claimed it was a chance to change how the city was run. If Plymouth residents vote in favour of a directly-elected mayor, the first elections will be held in May a heated meeting at Plymouth City Council, members expressed their frustration with the process that the council said would cost about £410, councillors spoke about other areas such as Bristol, Liverpool and Torbay which have had directly elected mayors but then abolished the leader of the Labour-led council, Tudor Evans, said there was a great difference between a possible mayor for Plymouth and the directly-elected mayors in London and Greater Manchester who have greater also pointed to the current reorganisation of local government taking place, in which the government has indicated it wants to scrap directly-elected mayors for single authorities such as Plymouth in favour of mayors for combined city council's chief executive, Tracey Lee, acknowledged the reorganisation as a potential risk and said talks were ongoing with the claimed the cost of the referendum was "the best money a Plymouth taxpayer could ever spend to change to a successful system of direct democracy".He said the current system had "failed to grow the economy".Forbes said: "Our greatest opportunity is to have a place-based leader to galvanise us, to unify us with a vision for Plymouth, and to be an ambassador, to attract private capital and private citizens to come to Plymouth."
BBC News
18-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Plymouth residents to vote on elected mayor proposal
Residents of Plymouth will decide if the city should have an elected mayor, following a successful petition. The city council confirmed on Monday the petition, organised by the group Yesdemplymouth, had 13,250 valid signatures, surpassing the required 5% of the council's cabinet has allocated £410,000 for the referendum, which must be held within six months. Currently, the council leader is elected by councillors, but this role would be replaced by an elected mayor if the referendum passes. Angus Forbes, former banker and husband of ex-Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell, leads the campaign but has withheld comments until the referendum date is set. Plymouth last rejected an elected mayor in 2001, with 59% voting against leader Tudor Evans criticised the referendum as a "vanity project," warning it could cost £1.5m and impact services like grass cutting. He argued the role would not have the same powers as mayors in metropolitan areas. Conservative group leader Andy Lugger also opposed the idea, suggesting it conflicted with government plans for larger strategic authorities. He noted that if successful, mayoral elections would not occur until 2026, by which time local governance might change, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).Labour MPs Luke Pollard and Fred Thomas echoed concerns, stating an elected mayor would bring no new powers or funding. They argued that resources should focus on essential services rather than additional advocates for direct leadership to address issues like poverty and crime, criticising the current system as overly political and ineffective.
