The next stage of scrapping the Mayor of Liverpool position is to go under the spotlight at a committee that last met for just three minutes.
Last month, members of Liverpool Council’s constitutional and governance committee gathered at Liverpool Town Hall for a total of 180 seconds. Staging that meeting was branded a waste of money by senior opposition leaders.
However, councillors are to meet again next week as they discuss how the city will do away with the Mayoralty in favour of a leader and cabinet model. After May’s elections, the role - currently held by Joanne Anderson - which was reinstated back in 2010 will be scrapped following a vote on the position last year.
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During her own campaign, Mayor Anderson vowed to do away with the designation through a referendum. However, such an exercise was deemed too expensive and a public consultation was held instead whereby the adopted leader and cabinet model was the third choice of respondents.
Despite the council's claims over costs, many people were frustrated not to be given a vote on how the city is run going forward. They were even more frustrated by the way the public consultation was carried out and the subsequent actions of the Labour group.
Only 4% of the city's residents took part in the consultation and of that number, more than 40% said they would prefer to keep the mayoral system. Around 32% opted for the committee system while just 24% went for the leader and cabinet model.
Despite the leader system finishing last of three, the Labour group on the council immediately stated that it intended to support that style of leadership, arguing that the poor response rate of the consultation meant it was not representative.
Committee members will consider a report on how it will make the change to a leader and cabinet model when they meet next Monday. The report also notes the progress to dates and details the steps required to adopt a new constitution at the annual council meeting in May.
One of the items that was expected to be debated at January’s three minute meeting will be heard next week. Members will discuss the findings of the independent remuneration panel which sets councillors allowances and their recommendations for the next financial year.
This will then be adopted by the full council. Last year, a pay rise for Liverpool councillors was rejected after the controlling Labour group voted against an uplift. The 90 members at the Town Hall had been in line for a pay rise of 1.75%, increasing their annual allowance to £10,775 per year - an increase of £185.
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