A VOTE will be held to decide if Great Yarmouth should have a directly elected mayor following a successful referendum campaign.
The target of 3,500 pledges of support has been reached triggering a referendum which is likely to be held in the autumn.
The petition is set to be presented at the town hall by campaign organisers Labour borough councillors Michael Castle and Trevor Wainwright next week.
Both have spent the last seven months collecting signatures to gain the support of 5pc of the population needed to hold a referendum.
A mayoral election would be likely to take place next May if the vote is in favour.
Mr Castle said: “Judging by the public reaction there is quite strong support for an elected mayor, nearly everyone we spoke to was positive.
“An elected mayor is not just a figurehead and chooses councillors to be part of a cabinet which can include cross party membership.
“The role would include the duties of the current ceremonial mayor and cover a four or five year term.”
The referendum campaign received support from Hartlepool mayor Stuart Drummond who was famously firstly stood for election as the town's football club mascot Angus the Monkey.
Borough council Labour group leader Mr Castle said he would be interested in standing as a mayoral candidate at an election.
He added: “I'm not hiding my light under a bushel, I would like to stand and would expect there to be a large field of candidates including independents.”
The Referendum Campaign in Darlington received the gracious support of Stuart back in 2007. And that, as they say, was the end of that!
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