YORK'S Lord Mayor today pleaded with Prime Minister Tony Blair: don't ruin my office.When Councillor Mick Bradley was elected to the second highest mayoral office in the land last year, it was the 610th time a Lord Mayor of York had assumed the dignity.Mr Blair is said to be considering reforming proposals for US-style town mayors, elected by the people and invested with executive powers.But Coun Bradley fears centuries of pomp and circumstance could go by the wayside if the Prime Minister goes ahead with his scheme.New-style mayors could be powerful political figures, combining much of the role of elected council leader and chief executive.Mr Blair is understood to see it as one way of restoring power and conviction to local councils - as well as boosting popular faith in them.But Coun Bradley said today he feared the new-style mayors would have no time for the things York's popular Lord Mayor does best - representing his city at home and abroad.Coun Bradley, who last week met the German consul and during his term of office has regularly met visiting dignitaries from countries like Hungary and the United States, said: "We've had a mayor since 1217 and a Lord Mayor since 1387. "Do we want to lose all that tradition and history? The Lord Mayor is a kind of ambassador for York. That's very important. If we had an elected mayor he would not have time to do that - he'd be too busy running the city."Coun Bradley said until details of the proposals were published, it was hard to judge the full impact of any change.But he said: "I think people would generally feel if there have to be elected mayors we should still keep the Lord Mayor." Alderman Jack Archer, who has twice been Lord Mayor, said he shared Coun Bradley's concern.The former Labour city councillor said: "They have not yet spelled out details of how it would work, but I am not encouraged very much by what I know about it."The Lord Mayor is an ancient tradition. I'm sure for the majority of people of York it is something that they want to continue."

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