A Labour-led motion to hold a referendum on abolishing the elected mayor position in Bedford was rejected by the borough council. The proposal, which aimed to allow residents to decide the future of the mayoral system, was defeated with 24 votes against and 16 in favor. Councillors were informed that organizing a referendum would incur an estimated cost of £375,000.
Labour group leader Abu Sultan argued that after more than two decades with an elected mayor, it was time for residents to have another opportunity to vote on the matter. He emphasized that the motion was not intended to target any specific individual holding the office. Carl Meader, also of Labour, suggested that abolishing the role could lead to cost savings and would offer younger residents, those under 40, their first chance to participate in such a vote.
However, opponents of the motion raised concerns about the significant expense of a referendum, questioning whether it was a justifiable use of council funds. The current mayor, Tom Wootton, who was elected in 2023, stated he had not observed widespread public demand for such a vote. Christine McHugh of the Liberal Democrats noted that while she had initially opposed the elected mayor system, she found that the public seemed to favor it due to the clear accountability it offered.
The council's composition includes 14 Conservative councillors, 13 Liberal Democrats, 12 Labour members, and four Greens. The Liberal Democrat leader, Henry Vann, described the vote outcome as "not even close" and urged all councillors to focus on essential services and the council's financial challenges. Zara Layne, representing Labour, expressed regret that residents would not have a say, believing the issue to be important.
Bedford has operated with an elected mayor since 2002, following a public referendum. If the motion had passed and the mayoral role abolished, the council would likely have transitioned to a