A CAMPAIGN to get royal approval for Southampton to have its own Lord Mayor has been launched at the city's Civic Centre.

The Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mary Fagan, was joined by the city's mayor, Councillor Chris Kelly, as well as leaders from the business community and local politicians to mark the event. It could see the city have its own Lord Mayor by spring next year.

The Queen will be granting a Lord Mayoralty as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations next year. Southampton is one of 15 cities across the country which have applied for Lord Mayor status. Others include Bath, Cambridge and Sunderland.

At present, neighbouring rival, Portsmouth has the kudos of a Lord Mayor along with 33 other cities in the UK.

To qualify for the title, Southampton must have a "quasi-metropolitan" character and have a status and dignity of its own.

The City Council's head of marketing and information, Chris Elliott, said: "A city of Southampton's history and regional status and influence should have a Lord Mayor. We have been the centre of the region for two thousand years, since the Romans came."

Cllr Kelly said: "We are one of the prime cities in the region and we are now ready to take our place as one of the leading European cities."

The Lord Chancellor's Department will be responsible for the eventual granting of Lord Mayor status to one of the 15 competing cities.

Last time Southampton competed was ten years ago when Canterbury won the honour. If successful, the new Lord Mayor will have no extra powers and there will be no extra cost to council tax payers.

Chief executive of Southampton City Council, Brad Roynon, said he supported the application because of the city's history. He said: "It would give Southampton the status it really deserves."