A CAMPAIGNER has collected enough signatures to force a referendum on whether or not Castle Point should have an elected mayor.

Colin Letchford, 63, of Maurice Road, Canvey, needed 5 per cent of registered voters in the borough to sign – equivalent to 3,400 signatures – to make the council hold the public vote.

Mr Letchford said: “I’ve only been collecting for a few weeks, but we’re already there, which shows the level of support.

“I would say 95 per cent of people I spoke to signed up, after I explained the issue to them.

“A man who lives on Canvey signed the 3,400th signature, and I gave him a box of chocolates to thank him.

“I’m going to keep on collecting more signatures to make sure I’ve got enough, because I know the council will be checking everyone who has signed with a fine-tooth comb to make sure they’re all valid.

“Everyone who signs must be a registered voter, so I’ve got a copy of the electoral register, which I’ll be checking to make doubly sure.”

Ann Horgan, of Castle Point Council, insisted it would be inappropriate to speculate how much the referendum would cost until the petition has been thoroughly checked by the council.

She said: “We will check out the petition and everyone who has signed it to make sure it is legitimate, under guidelines set out in the 2000 Local Government Act.

“We will have to wait and see on the outcome of this before we start thinking about the cost of a referendum or when it would be held.”

Mr Letchford has launched a website concerning the issue. Visit www.canveyislandcomment.com