BOLTON people have rejected the idea of an American-style mayor -- by a majority of two to one.

Results of a Town Hall consultation about whether to replace the traditional mayor with an all-powerful figure show only 26 per cent of respondents favoured the dramatic change.

By contrast, 52 per cent favoured keeping the cabinet and leader system which the council has already introduced on an experimental basis.

But council leader Cllr Bob Howarth has expressed disappointment at the response rate to a survey designed to revive flagging interest in local democracy.

Only 2,137 people took part in a consultation which included a mass mail-out, presentations at the council's area forum meetings for residents and the use of the Town Hall website.

Bolton's response is put in the shade by Bury where 4,300 electors expressed their views -- 49pc favouring the cabinet and leader system. But it compares favourably to Manchester where only 22 more people responded.

Cllr Howarth welcomed the result of the consultation which endorsed the preferred option of all three political parties.

He said: "While I am disappointed that so few residents actually expressed an opinion I am pleased that we have received a clear mandate to continue with a system which has served us so well over the last 12 months.

"The view of the public is that a directly-elected mayor is not for Bolton and I am happy with that.

"Many of the people who responded seemed happy with the new system of government we have been trying out for the last year.

"I am also very happy, as I am sure many residents will be, that we will retain the traditional mayor who is a popular feature of the current system.

"I would like to thank all the people who have actually responded and those who turned up at area forums to discuss this important subject."

The mayor will retain the non-political, ceremonial role -- including championing chosen charities -- which has gone with the post for more than 100 years.

Council members will be asked tomorrow to agree to formally adopt the leader and cabinet system where a council leader chooses an inner circle of councillors with responsibility for specific areas such as education and social services.

This will then have to be endorsed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, currently John Prescott.

Prime Minister Tony Blair is known to be an enthusiast of elected mayors whom he believes can capture the public imagination.

But the idea has met with a cool response in consultations across the country.