Referendum on an Elected Mayor

Overview

The Local Government Act 2000 gave power to the Secretary of State to make regulations that require a local authority, which has received a petition, to hold a referendum on the question whether it should operate executive arrangements that involve an elected mayor, and the Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions and Directions) (England) Regulations 2000 were introduced for this purpose.

Local authorities are now able to make arrangements for the discharge of their functions by an executive, which as far as this Council is concerned, must consist of one of the following:

(a) An elected mayor of the authority and two or more councillors of the authority appointed to the executive by the mayor; or

(b) A councillor of the authority elected as leader of the executive (the executive leader) by the authority, and two or more councillors of the authority appointed to the executive either by the executive leader or the authority; or

(c) An elected mayor of the authority and an officer of the authority appointed to the executive by the authority.

Where an authority's proposals for an executive involve an elected mayor, it is required to hold a referendum before implementing its proposals. The Regulations make provision for the holding of such a referendum.

Verification number

Each local authority is required to publish the number that was equal to 5% of the local government electors in the authority's area as shown in the register of electors having effect on 15 February each year.

The number that is equal to 5% of the number of local government electors in the revised version of the electoral registers for Wychavon District Council having effect on 15 February was 4618

This verification number will have effect for the purposes of determining the validity of any petitions which are presented after 31 March and before 1 April asking the Council to hold a referendum on the question whether it should operate executive arrangements which involve an elected mayor.