Council Leader or Elected Mayor

Should we vote for having an elected mayor or a council leader - would there be any real difference? That's the question people are asking us in Stockton Borough.

An elected mayor would be a high-risk strategy - we could get someone very good elected by the people, but if an elected mayor turned out to be completely incompetent there would be nothing that could be done to change him or her for four years.

A leader chosen by the elected councillors (as now) could be removed by a vote of no confidence in the Council. That's how our parliamentary democracy works.

An elected mayor could spend four years at loggerheads with a council with opposing views. That would not be good for progress.

The last Government has forced us to reconsider having an elected mayor. Stockton has worked well without one. If it isn't broken, don't mend it!