Campaign to pose mayor question

The current mayor, Labour's Mark Meredith, was elected in 2005

A major publicity campaign will be used to ask people if Stoke-on-Trent should continue having an elected major.

The city council said it would spend up to �120,000 using thousands of leaflets, plastic bags and parking tickets to ask for people's views.

It follows the government's decision that the city's system of an elected mayor and council manager should end.

The two possible options to replace it are an elected mayor with a cabinet, or a council leader with a cabinet.

The campaign will include an opinion poll and public meetings, which will be advertised on posters and leaflets.

The city council will consider the results in September, but will have to hold a referendum if it wants to abolish the position of elected mayor.

The council says it wants everyone in Stoke-on-Trent to know about the choice it wants them to make.

The issue will also be raised football match programmes, on bus stops and in the local media.

City council leaders met a government official in December 2006 to discuss a new constitution for Stoke.