Bedford can make it 9 out of 10!

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 14th Feb 2002

Bedford Liberal Democrats are celebrating figures from mayoral referendums across the country where 8 in the last 9 referenda have said NO to having an elected Mayor!

So far nationally, there have been a total of 22 referenda on having an elected mayor - and of those, 15 have rejected the idea, including 8 out of the last 9 polls.

Anti-Mayor campaigner Tim Prater commented:

"The arguments against an elected mayor are clear - it'll cost local taxpayers more, it'll add a new layer of bureaucracy, it'll reduce the say of councillors and it'll do nothing to improve Bedford. Nationally, the idea keeps being rejected - a mayor in Bedford now would be a local joke - an expensive and unnecessary White Elephant."

"I hope Bedford votes No on 21 February - that would make 9 out of 10 most recent polls against the idea, and surely should send a strong messager to the Government to drop this ridiculous idea."

For more details of the cross party campaign against an elected mayor, visit www.bedford4democracy.org.uk