Heritage Party Opposes Mayoral System in Plymouth Referendum Standing for Local Democracy, Not Centralised Control
The Heritage Party has formally registered as a campaigning group in the upcoming Plymouth governance referendum, urging residents to vote NO to the introduction of a directly elected mayor on Thursday 17 July 2025.
Although this referendum was not initiated by the Heritage Party, our involvement reflects our broader national campaign to defend local democracy and resist the centralisation of council powers under the guise of “reorganisation.”
A referendum has now been scheduled for 17 July, asking Plymouth residents whether to replace the current leader-and-cabinet system with a directly elected mayor. If approved, Plymouth would join just 11 other areas in England operating under this centralised model – systems which have often proven opaque, expensive, and politically concentrated.
The Heritage Party opposes this change for the following reasons:
- It removes direct accountability from local councillors,
- Centralises executive power in one individual,
- Undermines community influence over planning and public spending,
- And lays the groundwork for broader regional “devolution” schemes that strip communities of self-determination.
Our position is supported by multiple Freedom of Information requests, which reveal that similar governance changes across England are being pursued:
- Without legal basis or public consultation,
- Frequently led by unelected officers or outsourced consultants,
- And often lacking any evidence of local democratic demand.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner made the government’s intent clear at the Convention of the North in February 2025, stating:
I’m absolutely determined to break that system, and I’m handing mayors the sledgehammer. Mayors are at the centre of our plan to build 1.5 million homes by giving them the power they need. Mayors are an army to take on the blockers. We are backing them to work across huge regional geographies to get the job done”
This is not the language of democratic reform – it is a statement of forceful political restructuring.
Historically, mayoral systems have reflected centralised models used in authoritarian regimes – where appointed or elected figures implement top-down mandates, not local priorities. We reject that model.
The Heritage Party continues to campaign across the UK to abolish county councils, not community-based councils. Real reform means empowering residents, not sidelining them.
Our message is clear:
Say NO to a directly elected mayor.
Say YES to local democracy.
Keep your council local – before it’s taken from you.