DO YOU think Blackpool needs an elected Mayor? The Citizen believes that the public should be consulted about the council's plans to "bring itself into the 21st century."

This could mean the creation of a post of Mayor which the public could elect -- rather like Londoners elected Ken Livingstone as their Mayor.

And we want to hear what you think about the plans so we can help the council "consult" the public by sending them our findings.

There are three options the council are consulting the public over:

1) A leader with a Cabinet -- the council would choose a leader from ward councillors plus nine more councillors to make up the Cabinet. This is the council's preferred option.

2) An elected mayor with a Cabinet -- where the Mayor would be elected every four years in a borough-wide election and select nine ward councillors to make up a Cabinet.

3) An elected mayor with a council manager -- as above, but a paid official would act as council manager and would make most of the day-to day-decisions.

When the news was announced several names were put forward by the public including Geoffrey Thompson, In The Pink Leisure impresario Basil Newby, Beverly from Bispham -- a regular caller to radio station The Wave's breakfast show -- Pleasure Beach illusionist Richard De Vere and even comedian Frank Carson. Geoffrey Thompson has said he would put the 'T' back in Tourism if he were elected Mayor of Blackpool.

"I would make sure it returned to its former glory as Europe's number one tourist capital," he said.

"With gaming acting as the catalyst for economic regeneration, we would see new hotels opening, new restaurants and the world of theatre coming to our town.

"An elected Mayor was the way New York turned round its fortunes and doubled its tourism within three years."

Basil Newby was enthusiastic about the idea of a Mayor but wasn't sure he would be the ideal candidate.

"Well I was very flattered that people thought I could be mayor," he said.

"And Blackpool could do well with some business people in charge of more decisions, but it's not something I could consider seriously."

But MP for Blackpool South, Gordon Marsden, warned people to err on the side of caution.

"I remain to be convinced of the value of an elected mayor," he said.

"I'm sceptical that a mayor would really cure all of Blackpool's ills.

"What's most important is that any system of local government doesn't have the capacity for favouritism and cronyism.

"However, I have an open mind on this and am open to persuasion either way."