By JANE FIELD

MEMBERS of the Warrington public have decided that an executive led by a council leader will make decisions on behalf of the Council in future.

Almost three-quarters of 4,308 people who responded to a leaflet explaining the necessary local government modernisation plans decided that the 'leader with a cabinet' option was the best way forward for Warrington Borough Council, the favoured style supported by all political parties.

A major consultation exercise took place across the borough in January and February over the three types of leadership style under consideration - a leader with a cabinet, an elected mayor with a cabinet or an elected mayor with a council manager.

The changes will mean a much smaller group of up to 10 councillors out of a reduced 58 will now make all the key decisions and these will be made up entirely of those from the ruling Labour party because the opposing Lib-Dems are opting out.

The leader will be chosen from among the ward councillors and then either the leader or the full council will choose up to nine others to be in the cabinet. Under this style the town will continue to have a civic mayor.

Councillors agreed that they had received an excellent response from the public and are pleased with the results. Lancashire County Council received just 72 replies.

Other types of consultation included a detailed survey of the Warrington 1,000 citizens' panel, focus groups and presentations. The results of these exercises showed that the favoured option was consistently the most popular. An independent Modernisation Commission of eight people from Warrington organisations monitored the consultations and gave the option the thumbs up and this was agreed by council policy chiefs on Tuesday night.

Council Leader, John Gartside says he is grateful for the feedback and says the changes are all for the better.

"This will mean councillors will spend less time making decisions and more time representing and consulting the community," he said.

"New policy and scrutiny committees will examine the future executive's decisions and hold it to account when the new arrangements begin in summer 2002.

"Local people still have the opportunity to petition the Council for a referendum on whether or not the borough should have an elected mayor. If five per cent of Warrington's electorate - 7,336 people - sign a petition in favour of an elected mayor, the Council will hold a binding referendum."

If you have any queries about the new arrangements, contact Jeremy Beatty on 442758.