Still time for your say on Mayor or 'Strong Leader'

There is just a month left for residents to give their views on how on how Wyre Forest District Council is governed. 

The authority is conducting a survey 'Mayor or Strong Leader?' which asks for views on changes to the authority's decision-making arrangements.  The consultation is also seeking opinions on the frequency of local elections.

The survey is available here. 

The Council is required by law to decide before the end of year on a new governance model, which would take effect from May 2011. It may introduce a directly-elected mayor and Cabinet Executive model (this would be subject to a referendum) or the so called 'Strong Leader' model.  This is where the Leader is elected by council but the Leader appoints members of the cabinet and allocates responsibility for executive functions. 

Views on how often elections should be held are also being sought.  At the moment there are District Council elections three years out of every four, and on each of these occasions a third of the Councillors are up for election.  Residents are being asked whether this should continue or if the elections should take place once every four years, with all Councillors up for election. 

Councillor John Campion, Leader of Wyre Forest District Council said,

 "Many thanks to everyone who has already taken part in the survey.  It's important that residents get a say before all members of the District Council have to take decisions later this year. There is still time to take part in the survey, which only takes a few minutes to complete. "

Anyone who does not have access to a computer can fill in the questionnaire online at one of the Worcestershire Hub Customer Service Centres at Kidderminster Town Hall, or Civic Centre, Stourport-on-Severn.  Printed copies of the questionnaire are also available from Worcestershire Hubs and the district libraries.

The closing date for responses is 5 pm on 8th October 2010.

More information about the proposed political structures and the potential strengths and weaknesses of the models is available on this website .

A final decision on the options will be made at a special meeting of the full Council before the end of 2010.