We need a mayor to run city – but not me

On July 17th, Plymothians will vote in a referendum on whether or not they want to have an elected city mayor. Angus Forbes strongly believes residents should be able to directly choose their own leader. However, here he explains why it won't be him...

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ON Referendum Day, 17th July, Plymothians will be able to change the structure by which their leader of Plymouth City Council is selected.

Currently, the leader must be a councillor, chosen by other councillors. This is indirect democracy and it has failed Plymouth. Of the six targets councillors set in 2003 to be achieved by 2026, not one has even got close.

The alternative is that the people choose their leader directly, from a wider range of candidates from across the city. This direct democracy is the number one used method of city governance in the world.

The reasons it works is a combination of a greater talent pool of leaders, more accountability, more place-based leadership and less politics, and economic growth that nearly always comes from democratic legitimacy of office and collective vision.

These attributes are keenly needed in Plymouth, and the Local Government Act 2000 has allowed over 10,000 Plymothians to trigger the referendum.

I keep getting asked, why are you sponsoring this, what's in it for you? I've had lots of face to face meetings with Plymothians who say: “I just wanted to look you in the eye and see if you are genuine about not wanting to run for mayor and hear why you are doing this.”

Unfortunately, I cannot do that with each of you so that is why I am writing this open letter. I was introduced to your wonderful city in 2019 when I was asked by the University to give a talk on a small book I had written.

When I arrived, I was like, what is this place?! I was immediately drawn by both Plymouth’s wider beauty and its remoteness. Hailing originally from Adelaide in South Australia, and having lived in Sydney, Hamburg, Port Moresby and knowing other remote coastal cities, I felt a natural sense of belonging.