Liverpool votes to end elected mayor model and return to cabinet system
Labour-controlled Liverpool City Council has ditched its elected mayor model and will return to a leader and cabinet system next year.
The system changed in 2012, when Cllr Joe Anderson became the city’s first elected mayor.
He stood down in December 2020 due to his involvement in ongoing police investigations. Cllr Joanne Anderson, no relation, is the current elected mayor.
However, councillors voted to scrap the office, despite a public consultation that indicated residents wished to retain the role, athough only four per cent of eligible residents responded.
The leader and cabinet system was the least favoured option of residents.
Liberal Democrat leader, Cllr Richard Kemp, said: “The elected mayoralty has been a huge mistake and we’ll be paying for it in terms of cash and reputation for years to come.”
Bounced into having one 10 years ago. Bounced out now. And – uniquely among English cities – all without a public vote. This "like it or lump it" approach is wholly consistent with the wider dysfunction which is dragging us down each day. There is an alternative @resetliverpool https://t.co/xMx3CfTzMs
— Liam Fogarty (@liamfog) July 20, 2022
ReSet Liverpool, a non-party campaign co-founded by former Liverpool Mayoral independent candidates Stephen Yip and Liam Fogarty, had called for any change in the city’s governance model to be subject to a public referendum.
Mr Fogarty tweeted following the decision: “Bounced into having one 10 years ago. Bounced out now. And – uniquely among English cities – all without a public vote. This ‘like it or lump it’ approach is wholly consistent with the wider dysfunction which is dragging us down each day.”
