The Local Government Act 2000 provides that persons who favour the County having an elected mayor may petition the council.

If the petition is signed by a number equal to 5% of the local government electors for the council's area, then the council must hold a referendum on the question.

As the County Council's proper officer for elections, I am required to publish each year the number equal to 5% of the local government electors of Devon on the registers.

For the period ending 15 February 2008, that number is: 29,188 and applies to petitions submitted between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009 (see note below).

Any such petition should be either delivered in person or sent by post to the County Solicitor at County Hall, Exeter EX2 4QD

(Note: petitions submitted before 1 April 2008 have to be signed by 5% of the total of electors on last year's registers: that figure was 28,910).

The Government has made some regulations about the form valid petitions must take. For advice on these please either:

See the Regulations governing petitions for an elected mayor

Write to:

postal address:
The County Solicitor
County Hall
Exeter
EX2 4QD

telephone:
(01392) 382264 or

Roger Gash
County Solicitor
21 February 2008