THE people of Crosby could soon be asked to elect a mayor to run the borough. A task force has been set up to review Sefton Council’s political structure. Party leaders are now eagerly awaiting its findings. The current arrangement of a council leader and cabinet could be scrapped after the government called on the council to look at alternative models of running the authority. Public consultation would be central to any plans, which could even mean a borough-wide referendum. It is believed the task force will examine variations of government which could include a directly elected mayor and cabinet, or a directly elected mayor and council manager as just some of the possibilities. The mayor could be elected either directly by residents or indirectly by councillors. Co-deputy council leader Cllr Peter Dowd (Labour) said: “What the government want us to do is consider our political arrangements. We could have an elected mayor proposed and people would be asked to go to a referendum about it. “Currently, the local authority has a leader and cabinet. There could be a different arrangement. I don’t want to predict what will happen because I don’t know.” He added: “A mayoral system is good for a big city like Liverpool or Manchester, but not for a borough like Sefton. Sefton is polarised with much political diversity and in America mayors have a lot of power. “In Sefton it would be sensible to pick a cabinet from three parties – that’s the way we do it now.” Cllr Ian Brodie-Browne has been given the task of heading the review. Critics of the changes include council leader Cllr Tony Robertson (Lib Dem). He said: “I can’t really see the people of the borough wanting control to be put into the hands of an elected mayor – that is not good governance. They could not bring together the disparate views and manage. “Just say that the mayor came from Crosby – how would people in other areas of the borough look at that? “I think the government is obsessed with American-style government and it wants to push this through. The process will go on for months.” Co-deputy council leader Paula Parry (Conservative) said: “My mind is open and I want to see some reports on this first which I’m expecting in August. The government wants us to look at it by December, 2009.” Cllr Gordon Friel, who is on the task force, said: “This is all to do with the government’s Communities Bill, aiming to create a stronger model of leadership locally.” The current internal wranglings of the cabinet ended last Thursday when the ‘corporate governance arrangement’ was approved. Lib Dem leader Cllr Tony Robertson returns as council leader, whose party once again hold the same number of seats as it did prior to the vacuum which began eight weeks ago, with four cabinet seats. Labour and the Conservatives hold three each. Conservative leader Cllr Paula Parry and Labour leader Cllr Peter Dowd each welcomed deputy leadership posts. | 
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