THE new Tory MP for Castle Point has signed a petition aimed at taking power from the council’s Conservative-run cabinet and handing it to an elected mayor.

Rebecca Harris is among 2,600 people who have signed up to the campaign for an elected mayor for Castle Point, which is being organised by Canvey activist Colin Letchford.

The news will be a headache for the Tory-led council, which wants to stick with the current system.

If Mr Letchford gets more than 3,400 signatures – or 5 per cent of registered voters – it will trigger an automatic referendum on the issue.

Mrs Harris said: “As a democrat, I was simply calling for a referendum to take place to allow people to have their say.

“I personally do no think the borough should have an elected mayor, because it concentrates too much power in the hands of one individual.

“But I still think the public should have their say.”

Jeffrey Stanley, deputy leader of the council, said Mrs Harris was entitled to her view.

He said: “Rebecca will have made her own mind up on where she stands on the petition, and that’s up to her.

“I’m sure she agrees with us that an elected mayor is not the best way forward for Castle Point.”

Dave Blackwell, leader of the Canvey Island Independent Party, said the MP would have to tread more carefully now she is an elected official.

He said: “It’s alright going around signing things when you’re not in office, but now she’s an MP she’s actually got to take action.”

The cabinet system was introduced in Castle Point three years ago to streamline decision making. It meant rulings were no longer taken by various committees, but by a group of cabinet members instead. Mr Letchford, 62, of Maurice Road, Canvey, was inspired to campaign for a referendum on the system because he was furious the council’s decision to close Canvey’s tidal paddling pool was taken by just eight cabinet members.

He said: “A lot of people didn’t realise there was a cabinet of eight people making the decisions, and they were horrified when I told them.”