WHY I’M VOTING FOR A MAYOR FOR PLYMOUTH
As someone who was one of the lead VOTE YES campaigners in the first Plymouth Mayoral vote of January 2002, I’m very pleased we’ll get the chance to vote again after 23 years.
It is very amusing to see the same old arguments being used by the leadership of the council that has been monopolised by one man since 1998, and where important decision-making processes are just rubber-stamped by a couple of colleagues with NO democratic or oversight accountability.
Plymouth is in desperate need of political renewal, in my opinion, and where our collective voices can be heard in the Council House again, our beautiful waterfront city belongs to the many, not just a few.
Firstly, the cost of holding elections across the nation is always expensive, and the price of living in a democracy – is so the voices of the people can be heard.
We fought hard throughout 2001 for a YES VOTE, but the established parties, Labour and Conservative, fought together to keep the status quo.
The voices of change publicly and privately feel different in 2025, and I understand why some in the NO Camp are scared because a Mayoral Referendum could be seen as public disapproval of the Labour Party and especially its long-term leader on the council.
Back in 2002, Tudor Evans was in opposition then, and Cllr Patrick Nicholson was the Conservative leader at the time (now an independent), and his argument at a recent full council meeting was one of his finest interventions of why change is now needed.
If we are to preserve our remaining and diminishing freedoms of expression, freedom of speech, and freedom to hold elections, then another mayoral vote is a good idea to test public opinion since our last vote in the early millennium if a change in our local governance can do better.
What is deeply ironic are those opposing a directly elected mayor in Plymouth and are supporting a potential regional super mayor without any public consultations from the people and being decided by a few councillors and selected business leaders, and it will be another layer of bureaucracy.
Many of us have great faith that the people will decide what they want when the mayoral vote is called on July 17th.
VOTE YES FOR A MAYOR FOR PLYMOUTH.
Kevin Kelway, BCAc, being awarded the British Citizen Award in January 2023, at the House of Lords for the Tinside Lido community campaign from 1998 to 2003
Born on the Barbican and educated and brought up in Plymouth.
Long-term resident on the Hoe for 30 years.
Local businessman of an award-winning company and proud heritage and community campaigner.