Bid for elected mayor takes step forward

DARCEY BUSSELL'S HUSBAND FRONTS CITY CAMPAIGN

- WILLIAM TELFORD

THE campaign to bring Plymouth under a directly elected mayor has launched its slogan with a large lorry showing it off in the city centre.

The Yesdemplymouth movement is publicising the slogan "when did the council last listen to you?", with a line adding: "an elected mayor will"

The notice, on a large electronic screen carried by the flatbed lorry, went on to say "Yesdemplymouth is not political party-affiliated, we only seek to improve the way Plymouth is run"

The movement is fronted by Angus Forbes, the husband of ballerina and former Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell.

He stressed he is not a member or supporter of either the Labour or Conservative parties and is a businessman, not a politician, and doesn't want to be mayor himself.

The former stockbroker said the campaign only wants a referendum and to give Plymouth people the opportunity of following other cities with a directly elected mayor.

The names of 5% of the electorate are needed to trigger a referendum on whether Plymouth should have a directly elected mayor. Mr Forbes said this would equate to 9,800 signees, who must sign a physical petition, not an online one.

He first spoke about the campaign in May and the petition was launched then. The official launch will be in the second half of July.