Cannock Chase elected mayor plan abandoned

Proposals that would have seen Cannock Chase district governed by an elected mayor are set to be scrapped.

Just 37 residents responded to a consultation asking whether they would like to change the leader and cabinet system. Of those, 19 wanted an elected mayor, with most saying it would be more democratic.

Eighteen backed the present system - with nine people expressing concern about the extra costs of adopting a mayor.

An elected mayor would head the district council and would be elected separately every four years. He or she would not be a councillor or represent a ward.

Councillors are set to decide on what further action to take at a meeting next Wednesday.

A report to members, prepared by council solicitor Deborah Hudson, recommends abandoning the idea of an elected mayor.

She said the consultation did not provide a mandate for the major constitutional changes that would be needed if the authority were to adopt the model.

"The response to the consultation, even taking into account the limited nature of this consultation, was small and was inconclusive," she added.

It is estimated that the additional costs associated with separate mayoral elections would be around £40,000.

A full-scale referendum over whether to switch systems would cost £90,000.

Even if the elected mayor plan is rejected by councillors next week, changes will still need to be made to the current system.

The council will have to adopt the so-called "strong leader" model, which vests all executive powers in the leader - although he can delegate these to other other councillors.

The leader would be elected every four years - rather than annually under the current system - and there would be provision for councillors to vote him out.

By Matt Nicholls