THE number of council staff will have to be cut to fund a new mayor, the man who forced a referendum on the post has said.

More than 50 people attended a public meeting on Wednesday on Burnley’s up-coming elected mayor vote.

Geoffrey Berg, from Prestwich, sat alongside Cllr Mark Townsend, leader of Burnley Council as residents and councillors spoke of their concerns of the role.

These included high costs, too much power given to one person and the lack of ability to overthrow them.

The council estimates the cost of a referendum is £80,000, with the mayor role costing £240,000 in the first two years.

Mr Berg, 61, said one of the benefits of having a elected mayor would be a reduction in council tax.

He said: “One way to pay for the mayor would be to reduce the number of staff at the council.

“There is plenty of scope to reduce the budget without hitting frontline services.

“The council employs far more staff than the neighbouring boroughs.”

Lancashire County Cllr Marcus Johnstone, who represents Padiham and Burnley West, said cutting council tax would be costly.

He said: “It’s all well and good cutting council tax, but this means a service unit would have to be cut.

“All our services are at their bare bone and the only one left to cut from would be be green spaces.

“We would have to close one of the parks down to fund the mayor, which park would Mr Burg close?”

Mr Berg did not specify which park he would close, but said he was happy with the cost saving method.

One resident said: “I moved to Burnley from Manchester several years ago for the friendliness of the people and its green spaces.

“If one of Burnley’s great parks had to be closed, I would be straight back on the train to Manchester.”

Mr Berg pushed for the referendum after the council planned to introduce a selective landlord licensing scheme.

He gained 4,000 signatures in the borough calling for the vote.

Mr Berg, who owns property in the borough, believed the system was expensive and unnecessary.

A Trinity Ward resident said the scheme works perfectly well and has helped to transform her area.

Cllr Townsend said: “It is easy for someone to go round flashing leaflets saying it will reduce council tax.

“He is doing this for personal gain and not for anyone in the borough.

“We would have to implement further costs over the next years to pay for the mayor.

“Hypothetically, I could win the elected mayor vote and do the same job I’m doing at the moment for £18,000 for £50,000.”