City Council launches public consultation on future role of elected Mayor

Liverpool City Council is to consult residents over the role of its directly elected city Mayor.

In April the authority will begin a three-month consultation, starting with a letter sent to every household in the city asking: “How would you like Liverpool City Council to be run?”

The process proposes three options for governance that are allowed by law:

• By a Mayor who is directly elected by voters every four years (current system)
• By a council leader who is an elected councillor, chosen by a vote of the other elected councillors
• By one or more committees made up of elected councillors

A referendum on whether to change governance arrangements was ruled out by full council on cost grounds as it is estimated it would have a price tag of £450,000, compared with approximately £120,00 for the consultation.

The authority says a consultation is also the only way that residents can express a preference between all three governance options because a referendum can only be a choice between the mayoralty and one other option.

A webpage with details of the consultation – which will be ongoing until Monday 20 June – can be found at liverpoolourwayforward.com.

People can also email governanceconsultation@liverpool.gov.uk or write to: Electoral Services, Liverpool City Council, Cunard Building, Water Street, Liverpool, L3 1AH.

The outcome will be reported to the full council and the elected members will then make the final decision on whether to change governance arrangements, taking into account people’s views.

If full council agrees to make a change in governance, it will take effect from the elections in May 2023, and will be binding on the council for five years.

City solicitor, Dan Fenwick, said: “The council wants to give as many people as possible the chance to have their say over the future governance of Liverpool City Council.

“I encourage everyone to take part.

“A consultation is the only way that local people can express a preference for all three available governance models, and we have made the process as clear and simple as we can.”