English mayoral referendums, 2012

A series of mayoral referendums were held on 3 May 2012 in England's 11 largest cities to determine whether to introduce directly-elected mayors to provide political leadership, replacing their current council leaders, who are elected by the local council.

Parliamentary approval was granted for referendums to be held in Birmingham,Bradford,Bristol,Coventry,Leeds,Manchester,Newcastle upon Tyne,Nottingham,Sheffield and Wakefield. The government had also intended to hold referendums on whether to introduce directly elected mayors in Leicester and Liverpool, however before the government could order these referendums, the two city councils had already decided to adopt a mayoral system themselves. Leicester City Council voted to introduce a mayor in 2010 without holding a referendum, and an election was held in 2011 for the position. Meanwhile, despite legislation being passed for a referendum in Liverpool, the City Council voted to bypass the referendum and to instead hold a mayoral election on the same day as other local elections in May.

In addition, Doncaster Borough Council decided to hold a referendum on the same day, to determine whether to retain their elected mayoral system, having been one of the earliest authorities to adopt one, in 2001.

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