MAYOR REFERENDUM

DARLINGTON Borough Council's referendum leaflet - "Do you want an elected Mayor for Darlington? You Decide" - is so full of points that underline possible additional costs and makes no mention of potential savings.

The Government recommends a council provides an unbiased approach to a referendum and I think the leaflet fails to achieve this.

An example of savings, based on the fact Darlington is the country's third smallest unitary authority - an elected mayor may be paid between £50,000 and £80,000, we are told. As we are in the small category, a possible salary cost for ours could be, say, £55,000.

An immediate saving of £21,780 would be made, as we would not need to pay the current council leader's special responsibility allowance.

Hartlepool has seven members in its cabinet; we have nine for a similar size authority. Reducing ours to seven gives a possible £23,958 saving, making a total possible saving of £45,738.

For this kind of money you could attract a competent individual with a proven track record in managerial and business skills to be an elected mayor.

Advice if needed? If you want to predict the future performance of an employee, look into to his or her past track record and...You Decide. - Brian Parkinson, Darlington.

HAVING received Darlington Borough Council's "Do you want an elected Mayor for Darlington? You Decide" leaflet, I see a bias towards a "No" vote. I understand that by law all publications on this issue should be neutral.

The leaflet mentions how much the Mayor may cost, yet not how much the present one costs.

Is a special allowance payable? What about the cost of a driver and other peripherals?

It also mentions the existing council leader's allowance, yet doesn't give his full total, thus diluting his true income figure. Is it just coincidence that after serving his term on the regional development agency, One NorthEast, that he now takes on a portfolio? Is he receiving a leader's allowance, plus a portfolio holder's allowance?

Then there is this question: "Can the elected Mayor make decisions alone?"

Answer: "Yes, or with the cabinet." Yet on Page 3, it says budget and policy proposals can be agreed by one-third of the elected councillors? So which is it? Alone, or with a third?

Nearly the whole of this publication is in the negative. Its neutrality therefore requires questioning. Surely the borough solicitor needs to retract this publication and put out one that is truly neutral. - David Davies, Mayor for Darlington Group.