ELECTED MAYOR

WHY do people who want Darlington to have an elected mayor say it will make the system more democratic?

I have never heard such rubbish in all my life. We already have a properly elected council, with a non-political ceremonial mayor, which is just as it should be. How can an elected mayor be considered to be non-partisan, when the three major parties will each put up their own candidate?

The extra burden on the council tax payers will be considerable and no doubt this new mayor will want to employ people who agree with his/her ideas on how the town should be run - what is democratic about that?

Further, what will be the point of electing councillors if their votes can be nullified by a biased mayor?

I suspect those calling for a referendum and subsequently hoping for a mayor in tune with their own policies have a secret agenda.

If the referendum says "let's have an election for a political mayor" it will be mighty interesting to see the names on the ballot papers. For many years, our council has been democratically elected and with a non-political mayor - so let's leave it like that. If a system is not broke, why try to mend it? - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

FRANK Robson (HAS, Page 11, Sept 7) wants to keep the traditional mayor of Darlington, so why not? The irony of this is plain to see. What about a compromise with him? Let him have a mayor.

Unfortunately, a vast majority of the population would not know, or care, who their mayor is. It is just a title. So why not call a new post something like First Councillor, Sheriff or even Leader of the Council. A lot of us know who he is. Councillor John Williams has held that office for a long time. History will be his judge on what we are seeing today.

Has he really listened? Have we not had a large amount of conflict over his schemes? Schools, football grounds, supermarkets, town centre, housing developments, public transport, parking, road congestion, etc. Let people decide. If there is any semblance of a democracy in this council let's look for it.

Coun Williams is voted in from his ward by a very small number of people. Even less, for reasons beyond belief, vote him as their leader. The consequences of this system are there for the rest of us to suffer. Vote for democracy. Vote "yes" for an elected Mayor. - Kevin Boddy, Darlington.

I WONDER if the supporters of a "yes" vote in the Darlington elected mayor referendum have though through the implications of their campaign?

Around the country, ten of the 12 elected mayors were party politicians. Eight of them were either the council leader before they became mayor or a party group leader.

Of the three independents, one edited the local newspaper, one was already a national figure and one was a football mascot. Not the high-flying business people that some seem to think will flock to the position in future.

So it's likely that we'll simply replace Councillor John Williams, the present council leader, with John Williams - elected mayor. Only then he will have sweeping powers to do as he pleases for four years. And with a big salary increase, and a few political assistants, council tax payers will end up footing the bill.

I think I'd rather we kept the current system, where at least the other councillors can try to keep the council leader in check. - Jill Wallis, Darlington.

THE campaign for an elected mayor in Darlington is driven by a collection of opinionated action groups, all of which are opposed to the Labour-controlled borough council and its policies.

The mayoral referendum is an attempt to hijack control of the council and I urge the silent majority to use their vote to ensure that Darlington does not join the small number of towns which do have an elected mayor.

There are only 14 directly- elected mayors; of those, only four are independent and there is no evidence to suggest that towns with such mayors are run more efficiently than our own.

I urge you to use your vote to vote "no" to an elected mayor and in that way ensure that Darlington does not take a step towards the personality politics seen in the US and in neighbouring towns. - John Hollingworth, Darlington.

SUPPORTERS of an elected mayor in Darlington do not seem to know their history. Lady Godiva was naked when she rode through the streets of Coventry: not robed in a long cloak as in the recent re-enactment in Darlington (Echo, Sept 10). What were they trying to cover up?

It seemed a strange choice of character to me in any case. Godiva was campaigning against the feudalism of her husband. That is, against the kind of unaccountable power that we would hand to an elected mayor with no power to challenge his/her decisions until another election comes around in 2012.

In the meantime, would anyone care to join me for a feudal banquet in the Market Square with Robocop on the throne and a monkey acting as a jester? - Martin Wood, Darlington.