WAKEFIELD Council’s leader Coun Peter Box has become the first to declare he would stand as the city’s elected mayor.
The public will decide whether or not Wakefield is to have a directly-elected mayor at a referendum on May 3.
And Coun Box said he will seek nomination from the Labour Party if a “yes” vote is successful.
He said: “The decision on whether or not Wakefield has an elected mayor is one for the people of the district to make in May.
“I’m sure they’ll do so having heard arguments both for and against the idea. However, the majority of people I’ve spoken to so far are not supportive of a change at the present time.”
Wakefield is one of 11 cities which will hold a referendum on the new post.
If the public votes in favour of it, balloting on a new mayor would take place in November.
Mayors would be elected for four-year terms and would have similar powers to those of an executive committee in a Leader and Cabinet model local authority.
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