DONCASTER councillors have voted to press ahead with plans for a referendum to remove the elected mayoral system – despite warnings that proposed Government legislation may block their hopes.
Councillors rejected advice from officers to pencil in a referendum for next May amid criticism that represented an attempt to "stall" the will of the local population, many of whom signed an 11,000-name petition calling for a borough-wide vote.
C
oun Tony Brown, deputy leader of the Alliance of Independent Members, said delaying the process "would be interpreted by the people of Doncaster as a stalling device so they couldn't have what they want".
Last month, the full council voted 31-27 in favour of a referendum after first receiving the petition at the Mansion House.
Yesterday's meeting of the elections, corporate and finance committee heard that the earliest a referendum could be held, after carrying out the legally required local consultation, would probably be October this year.
But the plan to offer local residents a return to the old system of local government, which involved a council leader and cabinet, could be blocked by a Government Bill currently going through Parliament which aims to force all councils to adopt a centralised system.
The forthcoming Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill proposes only three models of constitution be available to councils, all of which would involve either directly elected mayors or council leaders for a four-year term.
Anti-mayor protesters in Doncaster have specifically cited the over-centralisation of power as a major problem with the system.
Doncaster's Labour elected mayor, Martin Winter, has become unpopular after a string of inquiries into his conduct but under the current system he cannot be removed from office before his current four-year term ends in May 2009.
The new legislation, which is expected to be enacted later this year, also includes a clause which would block any council which has installed a mayoral system from having a referendum within ten years, instead of the current five years.
The meeting heard this would be a retrospective measure, blocking Doncaster from holding a referendum until 2011.
As a result, councillors agreed that representations would be made to the Government to clarify how Doncaster's proposed referendum would fit into the plans for change envisaged under the new Bill.
