Like an awkward relative, the subject of elected mayors pushes its way to the forefront every now and again, and, according to David Cameron, they will be at the heart of his policy-making should his party persuade voters to tick the Tory box
at the next General Election.

According to Conservative proposals unveiled this week, it would be a boost for grassroots democracy, with referendums planned for a dozen cities including Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford and Wakefield. What he didn't mention was that mayoral elections can also descend into farce. Step forward H'Angus the Monkey.

Hartlepool is rarely mentioned in the national news bulletins. However, in 2002, it had a brief spell in the spotlight when the townspeople shunned traditional nominees and, instead, put their trust in a call-centre worker in a monkey suit. Stuart Drummond was the man inside the costume, and his slogan "free bananas for schoolchildren" proved a vote winner. Named in reference to Hartlepool's contribution to the Napoleonic Wars – when residents hanged a monkey they thought was a French spy – Drummond and his alter-ego unexpectedly found himself with a new job and an attractive £53,000 salary.

Downing Street did its best not to become embroiled in the whole monkey business, quietly insisting it still thought mayoral elections were a good thing, with one particularly philosophical spokesman adding that it was only to be expected that "new faces" should "come to the fore".

Cameron understandably made no reference to the Hartlepool football mascot turned political hot potato, but he did put great emphasis on the other big mayoral election story of recent times. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson.

Once best known for his bumbling appearances on Have I Got News For You, public schoolboy caricature Boris ousted Ken Livingstone to become Mayor of London last year. He is, according to Cameron, exactly the kind of "big character" the Conservatives will be looking for should their plans come to fruition.

Unfortunately, big characters inevitably bring controversy. In his 10 months or so in charge, Johnson may have banned the consumption of alcohol on public transport, called for an amnesty for illegal immigrants and begun to get rid of the capital's infamous bendy buses, but there have also been blunders.

As 2008 drew to a close, five of the key staff he appointed had resigned and his appearance at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics was proof the character affectionately known as the "blond bumbler" was very much alive and well.

It's questionable whether the country is big enough to accommodate a Boris in every major city. Even if it were, there is a distinct lack of colourful yet capable characters who might be persuaded to stand for office.

Former Home Secretary David Blunkett probably comes closest to fitting the bill for Sheffield, where he could possibly have a rival in the shape of former sports minister and MP Richard Caborn. But elsewhere, candidates for the main parties are thinner on the ground, making a repeat of the H'Angus incident all the more likely.

Former newspaper owner Frank Branston was already well-known in Bedford when he successfully stood as independent candidate in the town's first mayoral elections in 2002. Re-elected two years ago, Branston doesn't have any political allegiance and he knows the main parties may struggle to stamp their mark on the new mayoral roles.

"The public seem to be much more open to voting for an independent candidate for mayor than they are in, say, a General Election," says Frank.

"I was part of the campaign which forced Bedford to hold a referendum on the issue of elected mayors. When that campaign ended in victory, standing for election seemed the right thing to do.

"If you look at the elections which have already happened around the country, what you find is that people often don't vote the way you might expect. A relatively safe Labour seat may return a Conservative mayor and because people don't feel obliged to vote for a certain party, us independents tend to do well.

"However, if you are going to be successful it helps to already have a high-profile. It's hard to convince people you are going to change things for the better if they have no idea who you are.

"When Stuart Drummond was elected mayor of Hartlepool, a lot of people thought it was just a blip and normal service would soon be resumed. It wasn't. When he stood again, his majority increased.

"Look at Ray Mallon, he's done great things over in Middlesbrough and I'm sure his fiercely independent stance is part of what's made him popular with voters." Mallon, a former detective superintendent, who became known as RoboCop because of his zero-tolerance approach to crime, is certainly proof that elected mayors aren't toothless creatures. Widely credited with investment and improvements to the city centre, he also won support by swapping the mayoral Jag for a more environmentally-friendly car.

"As a mayor you do have real power to make a difference," says Frank Branston. "The paperwork can be a headache, but if you're surrounded by good officers, there is a great sense of satisfaction at seeing things get done. I try to ensure that I have the backing of the town's councillors, but if I feel strongly about a particular issue then I'm more than prepared to go it alone." Unfortunately, for the Labour Party that's exactly what Yorkshire's only elected mayor decided to do. Martin Winter had served two terms as Doncaster mayor when he resigned from the party to form his own political group which allowed him to stand for a third time. Labour rules limit candidates to just two terms, and the fallout from the spat continues to linger.

For all these cautionary tales, it seems likely that at some point in the not-too-distant future, Cameron and the Conservative party will get their way. Research from the Institute for Public Policy Research has suggested that giving cities elected mayors and financial independence improves economic performance whereas the current system serves no-one well.

"Unelected regional quangos are too big and undemocratic, but local authorities are too small," said the report.

"Directly elected mayors will be controversial, but they provide clear leadership and a visible line of accountability."

If the career of Boris Johnson is anything to go by, they'll also lend an air of unpredictability to the often grey world of local government.

Who would you like to see on Yorkshire's mayoral hustings? Write to Letters Editor, Yorkshire Post, Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 1RF or email yp.newsdesk@ypn.co.uk.