A bid to get a referendum to allow people a vote on whether they want an elected mayor to run the city has been rejected.

Tory and Liberal Democrats on Leicester City Council tried to secure a vote on the future structure of the authority at a special meeting last night but were defeated by the ruling Labour majority.

The defeated parties said Labour was denying voters their right to have a say on a major change in the way the city is run.

Labour said holding a referendum would be too expensive – costing £250,000 at a time when the council is facing cuts.

It said a consultation – launched on the council's website last night – would allow people to express their views.

Last night's meeting was to approve the consultation, which runs until December 6.

Tories and Liberal Democrats proposed an amended motion calling for a referendum.

It was defeated by 34 votes to 14 and, although Labour's members had been ordered to vote on party lines, Councillor John Blackmore rebelled.

He said: "We need a referendum. The people of the city deserve their say. We ignore them at our peril."

Fellow Labour councillors Ramila Shah and Mary Draycott abstained as did Robert Wann, because he was chairing the meeting.

Coun Draycott said she had decided not to stand for election in May solely because she did not like the way the council was going and that the consultation period was too short.

She said: This is the most major decision the council has ever taken. Eleven working days is an appalling level of time for the consultation.

Before the meeting, 15 protestors gathered outside the Town Hall to object to the lack of a referendum.

They watched the debate but were removed 15 minutes later when they tried to unfurl a banner and refused to give it up.

Conservative Group leader Ross Grant said: "The whole process is a shambles and a disgrace.

"The people of Leicester are being denied a vote and even a proper consultation."

Liberal Democrat leader Pete Coley said: "It isn't right to give the 300,000 people of Leicester just 11 days to have their say.

"It is not right to use the cost of a referendum as a reason not to have one.

"The cost of running the office of an elected mayor would be about £200,000, along with a salary of £50,000."

Council leader Veejay Patel said: "£250,000 goes a very long to protecting the most vulnerable people in the city."

He said the speed of the consultation had been forced by the Government, which had told the council to make a decision by the end of December.

He said: "People are not being denied their say. They can take part in our consultation and I encourage them to do so."

Councillors will consider the results of the consultation on December 9 before making a final decision on December 22.

A vote for a mayor would take place on May 5.

Elected mayors - questions and answers:

QWhat is the difference between an elected mayor and a Lord Mayor?

AA directly elected mayor would be chosen by voters.

He or she would be the city's political leader for four years and be responsible for the council's executive decisions.

The mayor would be able to appoint up to nine councillors to his or her cabinet and could delegate powers to them.

The post of Lord Mayor – which would continue – is a ceremonial role.

QWhat are people cross about?

AThe

Labour group this month voted to have an election in May for a directly

elected mayor without first having a referendum on whether people

wanted one

Opponents believe the council should hold a referendum.

QWhat are the arguments against a referendum?

ALabour

says a referendum would be too expensive and too time consuming to

carry out before next May's local elections. A referendum would cost

£250,000.

QIs the Government planning to have referendums for elected mayors in 12 cities, including Leicester?

AYes

it is. A Bill is expected to be published next week. However, it is not

clear how it will affect Leicester if the city already has an elected

mayor when the legislation comes into force.