CAMPAIGNERS will hold a rally on the steps of Bolton Town Hall to demand a referendum on the devolution package for Greater Manchester.

Protestors are arguing that the deal signed by chancellor George Osborne and the 10 Greater Manchester local authorities does not have the backing of the public.

Under the agreement, Greater Manchester residents will vote for a directly elected mayor in 2017, who — along with council leaders — will control a budget over transport, housing and employment training worth up to £1 billion.

The Bolton town centre event is part of a day of rallies across Greater Manchester, with similar demonstration taking place in Bury, Wigan, Leigh, Trafford, Salford and Tameside.

Stephen Hall, from the Greater Manchester Association of Trades Union Councils which has helped organise the demo, said they would be collecting signatures for the campaign to present to council leaders and the government.

He said: "We think the people of Greater Manchester should have the right to have their say on this or any other proposed changes, welcome or otherwise, to the way we are locally governed, before any such changes are implemented.

"The Greater Manchester Agreement does not provide for this, but rather does the exact opposite.

"The entire devolution package is conditional on the imposition on the people of Greater Manchester, without any reference to their views on the subject whatsoever, of a directly elected mayor for Greater Manchester.

“This is something, which other than in one of Greater Manchester's 10 local authority areas, has been either directly rejected by voters, or by local councils themselves for their own areas.”

In 2010 a motion against a directly elected mayor in Bolton or across Greater Manchester to full council, put forward by Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Roger Hayes, was passed unanimously.

However it is understood a directly elected mayor was a compulsory part of the devolution deal, when offered to council leaders by the government.

Mr Hall said: "Our view is that if the devo Manc deal is such a good thing as some are saying, then what do George Osborne, and Greater Manchester's council leaders have to fear from putting the whole thing out to greater public scrutiny and letting the people of Greater Manchester decide?

"The fact they want to deny us having any say whatsoever shows nothing but contempt for the views of the people of Greater Manchester in our opinion, and is simply unacceptable.

"We believe that the people of Greater Manchester will demonstrate their support for this view by signing our petition in their thousands."

People will be able to meet campaigners from 11am on Saturday January 10 in Victoria Square.