In accordance with legislation High Peak Borough Council is required to adopt new arrangements for the governance of its executive body to be introduced immediately after the next May's Borough Council election. The Council must decide which of two prescribed options it favours for adoption - and it's asking for your views to help it decide.
The first option is similar to the current system, with a Leader elected by Councillors for a term of four years rather than annually as at present. The Leader would be able to appoint and dismiss Executive Members, with the Council able to remove the Leader during their term of office if they see fit.
The second option would see a Mayor directly elected for a term of four years. The Mayor would then choose their Executive, and unlike the first model there is no provision to allow for the removal of the Mayor during their term of office.
The consultation and adoption of new executive arrangements is a requirement of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. The Council needs to make a decision on the two governance options set out in the consultation by 31 December 2010 and have the new Executive Arrangements adopted from May 2011.
While the new Government has said it intends to look to repeal the Act at some point, it has also made it clear that councils need to carry out the consultation and adoption process outlined above, even if they may need to reconsider their governance system again sometime soon. You can read a letter to the Leader of High Peak Borough Council from Grant Shapps MP, Minister for Housing and Local Government setting out the situation.
The consultation is now open and runs until 12 noon Friday 10 September. For more information on the options and to have your say have a look at the Consultation.