Protest calls for referendum on mayor for Cornwall

The possibility of a referendum on whether Cornwall should have an elected mayor is being debated

Protesters have gathered outside County Hall in Truro to call for a referendum to decide whether Cornwall will get an elected mayor.

It comes as Cornwall Council debates if there should be a referendum to decide on the matter.

Cornwall Council is thought to be in favour of the role - but is not keen on a referendum, because of the cost.

In March, the council applied to the government to get an elected mayor in order to gain further devolution power.

Among those gathered at County Hall was Zoe Fox, the mayor of Camborne, who wants a referendum on the matter.

Camborne Mayor Zoe Fox is in favour of a referendum to decide whether Cornwall should get an elected mayor

Ms Fox said: "This is about letting the people of Cornwall decide if they want another tier of government, which as well as a mayor will include a lot of appointed members to the mayor's office, it will cost a great deal of money, and it's not something that we've asked for.

"We do need devolution, but this is being made a condition of us getting the extra consideration that we deserve and that we need down here."

Ms Fox said she thought the idea of having a mayor of Cornwall was "all about concentrating power into fewer and fewer hands".

She added: "One excuse I've heard for the mayor is so that we can have our voice heard at Westminster, finally. Why isn't that happening already?"

Sue James, Mayor of St Just, said Cornwall did "not need" an elected mayor.

Ms James said: "We've got a strong form of governance, and I think the trouble is the politicians in Westminster who are saying we've got to have an elected mayor as part of more devolved powers, they don't understand that we've already got a good governance model."

Matthew Mcevoy wore a rosette with the words 'No mayor of Cornwall' on it

Matthew Mcevoy, parish councillor for St Day Parish Council in Redruth and part of the 'Let Cornwall Decide' campaign, said the matter of a mayor for Cornwall was a subject which had to be put to the people.

He said: "The devolution, as the deal currently looks, doesn't contain anywhere near enough money to make any difference to us whatsoever, and it doesn't contain any change in powers that are going to benefit the county at all."

Mr Mcevoy said the idea of getting an elected mayor of Cornwall had been "sneaked in under the radar".

He added: "All of the meetings that happened beforehand were all done totally off the record. Now it's public knowledge, there's no choice now but to have a referendum."

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