Leader or Mayor - Your Views?
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New legislation requires the County Council to consider what form of decision-making arrangements to follow after the next County Council elections in May 2009. At present the Council's 84 elected members appoint a Leader, Deputy Leader and six members to form a Cabinet. The Cabinet then takes most of the important decisions affecting the work of the County Council. These decisions are subject to review or call-in by other members of the Council through Scrutiny. There are a limited number of decisions which only the full County Council itself can take. These include agreeing the annual capital and revenue budget and the County Council's share of the overall Council Tax bill.
Before December 2008 the County Council must choose between the following:-
(1) a Leader and Cabinet Executive, or
(2) a Mayor and Cabinet Executive.
Under the first option the whole Council would elect the Leader for a four-year term. He/she would then appoint between two and eight members to form a Cabinet to take decisions. The Leader can be removed by the Council on a vote of no confidence.
Under the second option the people of Cumbria would elect the Mayor. He/she would then appoint their Cabinet. Once elected the Mayor cannot be removed from office by the Council and would serve for a full four year term. Fresh elections would take place at the end of his/her term of office.
Generally speaking a Mayor has stronger powers than a Leader. For example, a higher majority of members voting in full Council is required to overturn the Mayor's proposals in relation to the budget and Council Tax levels.
The County Council is minded to continue to operate the Leader and Cabinet Executive arrangements because it believes that they are better suited to the circumstances of Cumbria and they place leadership in the hands of a Leader supported by a team in the Cabinet.
The County Council has not come to a final view on the matter, however, and it would welcome public views on which of the two options - a Leader and Cabinet or a Mayor and Cabinet - it should adopt. If you have any views or would like further information please write to David Claxton, Head of Member Services and Scrutiny, at the Lonsdale Building, The Courts, Carlisle, CA3 8NA, telephone 01228 226351 or e-mail lynn.harker@cumbriacc.gov.uk. A summary of public responses will be presented to the County Council when it considers the matter again later this year.
You should make your views known by no later than 15 August 2008.