Final push in bid for ‘elected mayor’ for Rossendale

Retired businessman Leonard Entwistle needs around 2,500 signatures, approximately five per cent of the electorate, to start the process towards a referendum on how the valley is run.

Mr Entwistle, who represented Longholme ward in Rawtenstall, has collected 1,000 names after setting up a series of ‘polling booths’ across Rossendale.

Now the 67-year-old is set to post thousands of his leaflets throughout the borough as he bids to follow in the footsteps of London mayor Boris Johnson and Middlesbrough first citizen Ray Mallon.

He said: “I feel the time is right for a change to the way we have been doing things in Rossendale.

“For too long we have had the same system which seems to be standing still, we are not moving forward and the valley is being left behind.

“This country will soon be heading out of recession and I want Rossendale to be up there competing with the best of the boroughs, not squabbling over how to go forward.

“When that happens we do not need to be still nursing a derelict shopping centre and a well out-of-date bus station, but planning for the future with a vision and an ambi-tion to be the best – to give the people who live, work and spend here the best.”

Under the mayoral system both the council leader, currently Tony Swain, and the chief executive would be replaced by a directly-elected mayor.

If successful, Mr Entwistle could choose to run the borough’s affairs himself or appoint his own cabinet.

He added: “This would mean residents of Rossen-dale would be directly responsible for appointing who runs their authority and I believe a businessman would be better able to carry out this job.

“There would be obvious cost savings from the start because you would have one person doing the two roles.”

The Valley would retain a civic mayor, for ceremonial duties, under the model favoured by Mr Entwistle.

People who want to add their name to the petition can call him on 01706 211198 or 07836 688543.