Taking democracy to the doorsteps

Aug 6 2007 By Adam Smith, Birmingham Mail

THE shoppers and residents of Alum Rock were given a crash course in local democracy when the Birmingham Citizens hit the streets to boost the Mail's referendum petition.

Volunteers from churches and mosques collected names on Alum Rock Road on Saturday in a bid to get closer to the magic number of 36,000 signatures.

Lead Organiser for Birmingham Citizens, Andrew Crossley, estimates that the group will have collected 7,000 signatures by the end of August.

He said: "We have got representatives from different faiths and we all have the same aim - to collect as many signatures as is possible.

"We think it is right that people have the choice to decide whether they want an elected mayor and the Birmingham Citizens are in the position to help the Mail's campaign." Shaihien Khan, from the Islamic Society of Britain, helped organise the Alum Rock event.

She said: "The people of Alum Rock want to be heard and to have an accountable Mayor to represent them.

"It is great that the weather has been kind to us today and I am sure it will help us collect even more signatures."

Birmingham Citizens set up a stall outside Saltley Methodist Church and volunteers fanned out across Alum Rock Road to get more signatures.

Mohammed Omar, aged 23, was one of the first to sign the petition on Saturday when volunteers entered the clothes shop Smart Wear.

He said: "I think it is great that people are coming together to support this campaign and hopefully it will help businesses like Smart Wear because a Mayor would have to be responsible for improving the economy."

And Faiz Azad, aged 27 from Alum Rock, was also quick to sign the petition.

He said: "Something should be done about what is happening with politics in Birmingham and perhaps getting a proper mayor will mean more people took an interest in politics."

The Birmingham Mail launched the petition campaign because it believes that the people should have the right to decide whether they have an elected mayor whereas the leaders of Birmingham City Council want to keep the status quo.