This consultation started on 8/6/2009 and ended on 29/8/2009
The following reports are available:
Public Consultation on Local Leadership - Choices in Hammersmith & Fulham
Public Consultation on Local Leadership – Choices in Hammersmith & Fulham
Under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, the Council must review its governance arrangements. The intention of the Act is to promote strong, visible, accountable and local leadership.
Councils are required to adopt one of two new political management arrangements:
1) A new style Leader and Cabinet Executive; or
2) A directly elected Mayor and Cabinet Executive
As part of this review, the Council is seeking your views to help inform its decision. This consultation outlines the key features of each of the models above and the differences between them, and then asks which of the models you would prefer. We would then like to take this opportunity to also ask you some questions on democratic engagement in the borough.
1. The “New style” Leader and Cabinet Executive
Under this model, the Council appoints the Leader who then appoints and determines the size of the Cabinet. The Leader can appoint two or more councillors to the executive. The maximum of number still remains as 10. The new style “strong” Leader will have a fixed term of office of four years. However, the Council may resolve to give itself the power to remove him or her during his/her term of office. The purpose of the fixed term of office is to give the leadership greater stability. The Leader appoints a deputy leader with power to act in his/her absence. The appointed deputy leader may also be removed by the Leader.
The Act vests in the Leader all of the authority's executive functions; he or she will have the power to determine how these powers are to be discharged – either by him or herself, or they can be delegated to the Cabinet, a committee of the Cabinet, individual members of the Cabinet or officers.
2. The Mayor and Cabinet Executive
An alternate option, already operated by 12 authorities, is for the Council to hold elections for its electors to directly elect a Mayor who would again hold office for a term of four years. Where a Mayor has been directly elected, there would be no option for the Council to remove him or her during the period of office. Since a Mayor is not appointed by the Council, it is possible that he or she may not be a member of any political party nor does he or she have an electoral ward to represent. The Mayor will be a full time role.
A directly elected Mayor would have a mandate from the electors to deliver his or her election programme. Having set out policies before taking office he or she would have more autonomy to deliver them with the executive powers held personally in order to drive them through. However, he or she would be reliant upon the Council to pass any budget proposals. The Mayor would appoint his/her own Cabinet and allocate all executive functions.
3. Summary of Differences between Models
A summary of the main differences between the current executive model and the two options available under the Act are outlined below:
| Current leader and cabinet model | Options available under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 | ||
| New leader and cabinet model | Elected mayor and cabinet model | ||
| Appointment and term of office | Leader appointed by full council annually | Leader appointed by full council for a 4 year term (or until the expiry of the leader’s term of office as a councillor) | Elected directly by the electorate for a 4 year term |
| Removal | Leader can be removed by vote of no confidence | Councils can choose to adopt procedures which would allow the removal of the leader from office during the 4 year period | Cannot be removed during his/her term of office |
| Executive functions | Full council agrees the delegation of executive functions | All executive functions would be vested in the leader who can then delegate | All executive functions would be vested in the mayor who can then delegate |
| Appointment of Cabinet | Full council appoints the cabinet members | Council appoints leader who then appoints his/her cabinet members and allocates responsibility | Mayor appoints his/her cabinet members and allocates responsibility |
| Deputy | No legal requirement to have a deputy leader | Legal requirement to have a deputy leader | |
| Position as a Councillor | Will be a Councillor and member of the Majority Party | Will be a Councillor and member of the Majority Party. | Does not need to be a Councillor or a member of a political Party |
On the basis of the above, please let us know by completing this survey, which option do you think is right for Hammersmith & Fulham.
