Referendum on an elected mayor

The Local Government Act 2000, as amended by the Localism Act 2011, gives power to the Secretary of State to make regulations that require a local authority, which has received a petition, to hold a referendum on the question whether it should have a relevant type of governance arrangement. The Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions) (England) Regulations 2011 outline this requirement.

Local authorities are now able to make arrangements for the discharge of their functions, which as far as this Council is concerned, must consist of one of the following:

(a) an elected mayor of the authority and two or more councillors of the authority appointed to the executive by the mayor, an 'executive arrangement' in which most powers are exercised by the elected mayor and his/her 'cabinet'; or

(b) a councillor of the authority elected as leader of the executive (the executive leader) by the authority, and two or more councillors of the authority appointed to the executive by the executive leader, an executive arrangement in which most powers are exercised by the leader and his/her 'cabinet'; or

(c) a 'committee system' in which the Council may delegate powers to committees and officers (this is the system which existed before the introduction of 'executive arrangements'). 

Verification number

A referendum petition must be signed by at least 5% of the local government electors in the borough.

The number of signatures required is known as the ‘verification number’ and it is published every year. View the current electoral verification number.