A POWERFUL elected mayor could be running Newcastle this year, the Government has revealed.

Speculation is mounting that the election of Boris Johnson-style mayors in 11 major English cities, including Newcastle, will be on November 15 – provided residents give the go-ahead in referenda in May.

That is the same day as voters go to the polls to choose police and crime commissioners, covering each force, in what could become super-Thursday in terms of elections. Previously, the Government had indicated the elections would be held in May 2013.

Speaking in the House of Lords, Communities and Local Government Minister Baroness Joan Hanham signalled that a November mayoral vote was on the cards. She said the city would rapidly hold an election where a referendum was in favour of a mayor.

Her comments came after North East peers voiced concern about election regulations, drawn up by ministers, that allow them to be held at the same time as the vote on police chiefs.

Baroness Diana Maddock said: “I have never been a great fan of elected mayors. However, at least we are asking local people, it will be their decision.

“My big worry is that turnout will be low because people are not engaged.”

The Liberal Democrat peer added: “Part of these regulations allows local authorities to hold elections for police commissioners at the same time.

“Obviously, trying not to have too many elections at the same time is a good thing.”

Labour peer Jeremy Beecham, a former leader of Newcastle City Council, also asked when the elections would be as he raised wider concerns about the whole idea of executive mayors.

Baroness Hanham said: “There is no definite date for the referendums yet, but it would be fair to say that we would hope that the elections would take place in a reasonable time following the referendum.

“They could potentially be held near the date when those for the police commissioners are held but there is no question of that having been decided yet.”

Lord Beecham also raised general concerns about elected mayors – declaring most people were more concerned with the faltering economy, unemployment, the NHS, and changes to the welfare system.

“I am bound to say that I have never received a single email suggesting that we need referendums for elected mayors,” he said.

The peer added that 5% of the electorate could have forced a vote on whether to have an elected mayor under existing legislation for the past decade, but only a few been held with 13 areas agreeing to go ahead with a mayor.

But turnout was as low as 16% in those polls, which Lord Beecham said was hardly a ringing endorsement of the concept. He also expressed warned about handing many powers to a single person, claiming they had little accountability.

“It is not as if a majority of the council can overturn a decision of the mayor,” he said.

“On hugely important matters, from the budget, the children’s panel, and the strategic panel of the authority and over a whole range of issues, the mayor will prevail unless two-thirds of the elected members of the council overturn him.

“This is a little better than the Mussolini formulation for general elections in Italy in 1923, when 25% of the votes were sufficient to give 75% representation in the chamber; we are not quite in that league.”

Baroness Hanham said there was good evidence that powerful and directly accountable mayors did a better job of boosting their local economy.