BURY people have rejected an American-style elected mayor.

More than 4,300 residents responded to the consultation, with almost half backing the cabinet and leader model favoured by the council.

Some 49 per cent called for that system, while 33pc backed an elected mayor and cabinet with only 13pc supporting an elected mayor and council manager.

The number of respondents is believed to be the highest in Greater Manchester and second highest in the North-west. Bury council will officially adopt the cabinet and leader system -- where a council leader chooses an inner circle of councillors with responsibility for specific issues such as education and social services -- from October or November.

Results of Bolton's consultation on the elected mayor are still being analysed but elsewhere in the country there has been little enthusiasm for an idea which was supposed to reinvigorate interest in local government.