So there it is: the Government has made up our minds for us. On May 3 the people of the Bradford district, like it or not, will have the opportunity to vote on the issue of having an Elected mayor... and plans to impose a mayor on Bradford have been fast-tracked to November, if residents vote yes in May’s referendum.

If the people say yes to the proposal, the Government wants elections to take place on November 15, ‘Super Thursday’ as it has been been called by Communities Minister Greg Clark.

In cities where residents support the Government plans, elections for the post will take place on November 15 – six months earlier than planned – the same day people will vote on the controversial election of police commissioners.

The Government believes mayors will provide strong leadership and help areas prosper nationally and internationally.

The last time we had a referendum was last May. Then, the people were asked to pass judgement on the voting system itself.

By an overwhelming majority the Liberal Democrat hope that the Alternative Vote would replace first-past-the-post system was rejected. In Bradford, more than 130,000 people voted – 87,838 of them against this mode of electoral reform.

That exercise in democracy reportedly cost taxpayers £80m, or £180,000 for every local authority. This May’s referendum is going to cost us more than £140,000, which is why Bradford South Labour MP Gerry Sutcliffe said he voted against it. Though not against the idea of a referendum, was this the best use of public money?

He said: “This is top-down rather than local democracy. It is not the way for people to decide. It has been imposed upon Bradford.”

Shipley’s Conservative MP Philip Davies said he would probably vote against on May 3, but for reasons other than that given by Gerry Sutcliffe.

Mr Davies said: “We have 90 councillors in Bradford. If we have an elected mayor, that will only be adding another layer of bureaucracy. That seems to me completely over the top. If we have an elected mayor, we should get rid of two-thirds of the councillors.”

Bradford East’s Liberal-Democrat MP David Ward said he was even more opposed to the forthcoming referendum than Mr Sutcliffe, a reversal of the position he took last year on the referendum for electoral reform. Then he was the only one of five local MPs canvassed who supported it.

This time round he questions whether the Prime Minister David Cameron and his Liberal Democrat deputy Nick Clegg have enough experience of local government round the country.

He said: “This is being driven by ideology. There is no evidence that an elected mayor would lead to better government. It’s so London-centric. Where is the experience of Cameron and Clegg other than in London?

“A strong charismatic leader doesn’t necessarily bring people together. A strong personality could actually polarise people. Two-thirds of Bradford is rural, a lot of people don’t know that. It is very diverse. the idea that one person can represent that diversity is flawed.”

Keighley MP Kris Hopkins said: “A resounding ‘no’ vote, which I believe we will achieve, will thankfully ensure that this change is irrelevant for Bradford district. The idea of Mayor Greenwood being elected in May 2013 was appalling; the prospect of him ascending to his throne in November 2012 is even worse.”

Former Bradford Tory councillor Ronnie Farley, who lectures in local government, disagrees. He has has worked with several of the UK’s 15 elected mayors and says the time has come for Bradford to try something new.

He said: “Bradford is extremely rural and urban in its diversity. It is a big job, but it’s only a four-year term. I would be in favour of having a crack at it. Gone are the days when councils delivered all the services. Now they have to look at the most cost-effective way of doing it.”

Elected mayors have the power to decide policy across a wide range of matters including the annual budget. They can also appoint a limited number of councillors to a cabinet and delegate powers to them.

For their part, elected councillors can amend or reject policy if they can rally support from two-thirds of members, which may explain why Philip Davies would like to get rid of 60 of Bradford’s 90 councillors.