AN elected mayor for Lancaster and Morecambe could soon be a reality following the Government's new plans for local democracy.

With the political system struggling to capture the public imagination and respect for politicians at an all time low, the jazzy idea of an elected mayor accountable to the people would at least rekindle some interest.

Electing a mayor to pull the strings of power is essentially choosing someone to be the district's leader. It's bound to get personal but perhaps all the more interesting for it - just imagine the candidates, the campaigns, the hustings.

The people want a leader, someone with vision looking forward, not a politician surrounded by their political cronies. They're sick of the 'Lilliputian' antics of supposedly intelligent people locked in a charade with their political opponents over tea and biscuits.

So much energy is wasted on making sure the 'others' do not gain an advantage that the public interest often gets lost in the tedious rhetoric and 'mandarinese.'

With a mayor running the local authority there are obviously concerns about nepotism and the concentration of power but at least you'll know where the buck stops.

You'll know that the mayor will have to listen to the electorate instead of relying on party allegiance and if people are unhappy there's an immediate focus for protest and action.

Something needs to be done to a system weighed down with civic trimmings and an election for mayor would certainly inject some much needed public interest into (yawn) local government.

Looking ahead, my money is on the anti-corruption candidate. You read it here first.

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