I WROTE to West Devon Borough asking many questions about the financial implications of having an elected mayor and the electoral procedures that would exist if this became the future system.
I received a prompt reply but most of my questions remained unanswered as, I was informed, the answers will not be known until after the mayoral referendum takes place.
When we have the opportunity to vote on whether or not we want an elected mayor we will not know how much an elected mayoral system would cost. We will not know how much an elected mayor and the cabinet would be paid. We will not know how much would be put on our council tax to pay for what would surely be a more expensive system. Should not the question 'Do you want an elected mayor and cabinet?' really read 'Do you want to pay more council tax without being told how much more?'
If there is to be an elected mayor the candidates do not have to be elected councillors, but if a councillor is elected their seat will become vacant and filled through the electoral process. This would involve more expense.
One of the most potent factors is that an elected mayor would have the power to choose the cabinet, which would be between two and nine members, but suppose the mayor chose to have a cabinet of only two members.
Would not there be far too much power in the control of only three people? No doubt it would be claimed that no mayor would want only three members, but if that were the case why allow the cabinet to be so small? The cabinet, no matter how many members, would, in all likelihood, be of one political persuasion, and therefore likely to attract cronyism.
The booklet describing the proposed new constitutional arrangements states that any future cabinet decision would require ratification by the full council, but can we be sure that council members would have time to give full consideration to all the cabinet's proposals, and might some important issues get through on a 'nod and a wink'?
Why introduce this system, which seems fraught with pitfalls as well as being costly?
I now know which way I will vote, but I needed this extra information from West Devon Borough Council to make my decision. The U Decide Leaflet did not say enough.
Sandra Sutton
Penshurst
Upcott Hill
Okehampton