RESIDENTS are to be asked again if they want an elected mayor.

Derwentside District Council will ballot voters in a postal election for a second time in the coming weeks, after a Government instruction.

In the first ballot in 1999 - in which voting forms were sent to every household in the district - the council informed voters of its preference for a cabinet with a leader.

However, the Government has ruled the council must let residents make up their own mind about a leader with a cabinet, a directly-elected mayor with a cabinet, or a directlyelected mayor with a council manager.

If five per cent or more of the entire electorate - as opposed to just respondents in the postal vote - choose an elected mayor, then a referendum costing more than £50,000 must be held.

A referendum will also be held if a petition with the names of more than five per cent of the electorate is handed in.

A postal ballot of residents in the Gateshead area recently produced just 1,500 returns, most of which were in favour of keeping the cheaper leader and cabinet system.

Voting forms will be sent to Derwentside residents in the coming weeks.