THE campaign for a referendum on Devo Manc is hitting the streets of Leigh.

Activists will be holding a day of action against the decision to give the region its own directly-elected mayor and £1bn-worth of powers over transport, housing, planning and policing.

They will gather in the Leigh West area to speak to residents about the changes on Saturday, July 25.

The news comes after the Chancellor George Osborne chose to transfer further responsibilities to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the publication of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill.

Will Patterson, secretary of the campaign for a Referendum on Devo Manc (Wigan), said: "Campaigners have started visiting the wards of the council leaders who signed the Devo Manc agreement with George Osborne to canvass the opinion of their constituents on the deal.

"We will consult the people represented by Lord Smith, who as leader of Wigan Council and the chairman of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities, was one of the signatories."

Mr Patterson said surveys on Devo Manc were carried out earlier this year in Crumpsall and Failsworth East.

He added: "In both cases, although a majority of respondents agreed with the principle of devolution to the regions, the vast majority of respondents had not even heard of Devo Manc, and more than 90 per cent of respondents supported calls for a referendum on the plan.

"Not one respondent thought it was OK for the deal to be imposed on Greater Manchester residents without public scrutiny or consultation beforehand, or agreed with an unelected mayor being imposed until the first elections in 2017."

On June 18, campaigners will be addressing the monthly Wake Up Wigan event to offer local people a platform to air their views on the issues that matter to them, and a chance to learn about events that affect them.

"Our speakers will take advantage of the platform to bring people up to date with the latest developments of Devo Manc, and repeat our call for people across Greater Manchester to have their say on these constitutional changes in a referendum, " said Mr Patterson.