The Local Government Act 2000 has allowed for local authorities in England and Wales to adopt a mayor-and-cabinet model, or to end its adoption, through local referendums.
As of July 2025, there have been 55 local referendums on the question of changing executive arrangements to a model with a directly elected mayor and 9 local referendums on the question of changing executive arrangements to a model without a directly elected mayor.
Referendums on introduction of mayor-cabinet system
"Yes" majority shown in green, "No" majority shown in red. Local authorityDateYes votesYes vote %No votesNo vote %Turnout %RefBerwick-upon-Tweed7 June 20013,6172610,2127464Cheltenham28 June 20018,0833316,6026732Gloucester28 June 20017,7313216,3176831Watford12 July 20017,636527,1404825Doncaster20 September 200135,4536519,3983525Kirklees4 October 200110,1692727,9777313Sunderland11 October 20019,3754312,2095710Brighton & Hove18 October 200122,7243837,2146232Hartlepool18 October 200110,6675110,2944934Lewisham18 October 200116,8225115,9144918Middlesbrough18 October 200129,067845,4221634North Tyneside18 October 200130,2625822,2964236Sedgefield18 October 200110,6284711,8695333Redditch8 November 20017,250449,1985628Durham20 November 20018,3274111,9745929Harrow6 December 200117,5024323,5545726Plymouth24 January 200229,5594142,8115940Harlow24 January 20025,2962515,4907525Newham31 January 200227,2636812,6873226Southwark31 January 20026,0543113,2176911West Devon31 January 20023,55523 12,1907742Shepway31 January 200211,3574414,4385636Bedford21 February 200211,316675,5373316Hackney2 May 200224,6975910,5474132Mansfield2 May 20028,973557,3504521Newcastle-under-Lyme2 May 200212,9124416,4685631.5Oxford2 May 200214,6924418,6865634Stoke-on-Trent2 May 200228,6015820,5784227Corby1 October 20025,351466,2395431Ealing12 December 20029,4544511,6555510Ceredigion20 May 20045,3082714,0137336Isle of Wight5 May 200528,78643.737,09756.360.4Fenland14 July 20055,50924.217,29675.833.6Torbay14 July 200518,074 55.214,68244.832.1Crewe and Nantwich4 May 200611,80838.218,76860.835.3Darlington27 September 20077,98141.611,22658.424.6Bury3 July 200810,33840.115,42559.918.3Tower Hamlets6 May 201060,75860.339,857 39.762.1Great Yarmouth5 May 201110,05139.215,595 60.836Salford26 January 201217,34456.013,65344.018.1Birmingham3 May 201288,085 42.2120,61157.828.35Bradford 3 May 201253,949 44.966,283 55.135Bristol3 May 201241,032 5335,880 4724Coventry 3 May 201222,619 36.439,48363.626.6Leeds3 May 201262,440 36.7107,91063.331Manchester3 May 201242,677 46.848,59353.225.3Newcastle upon Tyne3 May 201224,630 38.140,08961.9Nottingham3 May 201220,943 42.528,32057.523.9Sheffield3 May 201244,57135.082,890 65.0Wakefield3 May 201227,610 37.845,357 62.2Copeland22 May 201412,671 69.85,489 30.233.9Bath and North East Somerset10 March 20168,05420.830,55779.128.9Guildford13 October 20164,94819.320,36980.624.9Croydon7 October 202147,16580.011,51919.521Plymouth17 July 202518,04447.619,84052.419.11
Referendums on removal of the mayor-cabinet system There have been nine referendums on the question of removing the post of elected mayor. Four mayoral posts have been disestablished following a vote and five retained.
"Retain" majority shown in green, "Remove" majority shown in red. Local authorityDateRetain votesRetain vote %Remove votesRemove vote %Turnout %RefStoke-on-Trent23 October 200814,5924121,2315919.2Doncaster3 May 201242,196 61.725,87937.830.7Hartlepool15 Nov 20125,17741.37,36658.718Middlesbrough26 September 20138,67457.36,455 42.715North Tyneside5 May 201632,54657.823,73042.236.4Torbay5 May 20169,51137.515,84662.525.3Newham6 May 202145,96055.836,42444.237.68Tower Hamlets6 May 202163,02977.817,95122.241.79Bristol5 May 202238,4394156,1135928.6
Referendums on the introduction of the committee model Local authorityDateYes votesYes vote %No votesNo vote %Turnout %RefSheffield3 May 201289,670 64.848,72735.2N/A
See also 2012 English mayoral referendums
References