Plans for elected mayor discussed

People in Surrey have been asked whether the county should be led by an elected mayor.

Surrey County Council has started a public consultation on who leads it.

The two options being considered are either an executive leader chosen by councillors or a mayor selected directly by voters, as in London.

In both cases, a cabinet of between two and nine councillors, similar to the current arrangement, would assist in the decision-making process.

The consultation was being carried out because it was required to make changes to its governance in May 2009 under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act, a council spokesperson said.

More power

Leader of the council Nick Skellett said: "We would really like to hear our residents' views on this issue and would urge them to provide us with their opinions to inform our decision."

Under the executive leader system, more power would be given to the leader than at present and the cabinet would be selected by the leader, who would be chosen by the full council every four years.

An elected mayor, who would also serve a four-year term, would be responsible for all executive functions and delegate them to members of the cabinet, local committees or council officers.

The mayor's cabinet would also be made up of a minimum of two councillors and a maximum of nine.

Both options will be considered at a meeting on 14 October and a decision will be made on 9 December.