Council dismisses £200,000 mayoral referendum

Rother District Councillors opted instead for a system similar to the current model of a Cabinet and Leader.

"For me, its a no brainer," said Cllr Tony Ganley, of Ewhurst and Sedlescome ward. "There's no way we could find 200,000 to have a referendum to elect a mayor."

A government act requires all local authorities to review their decision-making arrangements by December. Rother was faced with a choice between the Cabinet and Leader system - similar to that currently used - or holding a 200,000 referendum to elect a mayor, who would lead a Cabinet.

The new-style Cabinet and Leader system will see the Leader, currently Cllr Carl Maynard, elected for four-year terms instead of annually.

The change comes into effect three days after the local elections in May 2011.

Cllr Paul Osborne, of Eastern Rother ward, said: "A direct elected mayor would possibly work in a town like Hastings, where its more confined, but in an authority like Rother, which is more spread out, there will always be aggravations.

"What would Bexhill think about being run by a mayor from Ticehurst, or Camber?"