▁elected ▁mayor ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁these ▁options . ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁act ▁ended ▁the ▁previous ▁committee - based ▁system , ▁where ▁functions ▁were ▁exerc ised ▁by ▁comm itte es ▁of ▁the ▁council ▁( although ▁this ▁was ▁re inst ated ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 ). ▁All ▁of ▁several ▁hundred ▁principal ▁coun c ils ▁were ▁required ▁to ▁review ▁their ▁executive ▁arrang ements ▁under ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁legisl ation . ▁Local ▁authorities ▁considering ▁the ▁option ▁of ▁an ▁elected ▁mayor ▁were ▁required ▁to ▁put ▁the ▁question ▁to ▁a ▁local ▁refer endum . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁possible ▁for ▁campaign ▁groups ▁to ▁trigger ▁a ▁local ▁refer endum ▁ ▁with ▁a ▁signed ▁pet ition . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁areas ▁with ▁elected ▁may ors ▁also ▁have ▁civ ic ▁may ors ▁or ▁Lord ▁may ors ▁and ▁these ▁cer emon ial ▁roles ▁con ferred ▁on ▁acting ▁coun c ill ors ▁are ▁separate ▁from ▁elected ▁may ors . ▁ ▁A do ption ▁ ▁Ele ven ▁may ors ▁were ▁established ▁during ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁covering ▁metropol itan ▁and ▁non - met ropol itan ▁districts , ▁unit ary ▁authorities ▁and ▁London ▁bor ough s . ▁Three ▁further ▁mayor alt ies ▁were ▁created ▁under ▁this ▁legisl ation : ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁( T orb ay ), ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁( T ower ▁Ham lets ), ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁( C op eland ). ▁ ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁mayor al ▁elections ▁were ▁won ▁by ▁independ ents , ▁not