NOTE Mr Wilson’s letter regarding an elected mayor in the Warrington Guardian (February 8).

The sole aim of the petition and referendum is to secure an executive board that more fairly represents all voters.

Mr Wilson asks how is the current executive not democratic?

That depends on the definition of ‘democratic’ and whether members are appointed based on a first past the post or proportional system.

In the 2016 local elections 48 per cent of the electorate voted Labour, the rest split 23 per cent Conservative, 20 per cent LD, with the others nine per cent.

An executive board which represented the votes cast would consist of five Labour, three Conservative and two Liberal Democrats.

The executive committee is the only committee that is not required to be balanced.

Currently all 10 members are from one party. That is neither representative of either the political make up of councillors or the votes cast by the electorate.

Given some have called for elections on a proportional system, and the Lib Dems have spent their waking lives doing so, it really shouldn’t be too uncontroversial that an executive board represents the actual votes obtained by parties.

A mayoral referendum uses the ‘single transferable vote’ system – no-one can project with certainty what the result would be, suffice to say the result would be no less democratic.

Mr Wilson perhaps forgets a Labour government introduced directly elected mayors.

The main reason was to make it clearer to councillors and public alike that the ultimate responsibility for particular decisions lay with an individual and not a committee.

The council is clearly worried and its published comments intended to persuade electors not to sign the petition.

I believe the council is in breach of its statutory duty to remain neutral. Mr Wilson mentions cost.

What price democracy?

Here’s a thought though.

The mayor could propose abolishing the role of chief executive as have other authorities since the mayor’s role essentially encapsulates that of chief executive.

Over a four-year term taking into account pension contributions, the saving of the leader’s allowance and the productivity gain from a mayor working a five-day week rather than a four-day week chief executive would save an estimated £800,000.

More than enough to pay for a mayor and PA.

I leave aside the no doubt heretical thought in some quarters that a mayor might not even come from a political party.

Now wouldn’t that be a novelty?

The petition may be printed for signing at wbcelectedmayor.word press.com.

RICHARD BUTTREY Stockton Heath