THE current Mayor of Salford has launched a scathing attack against Government plans to scrap the traditional ceremonial civic office.

Cllr Bernard Pennington has described the proposed replacement term 'Elected Mayor' as a misleading "misnomer" for an all-powerful chief executive.

And the councillor, whose family's links with the Labour Party go back generations, has condemned the current Government for "the negation of the democratic process that has prevailed for over 100 years" -- also attacking its shake up of the way councils operate.

Cllr Pennington, who during his current year in office has attended more than 600 public engagements, said: "The term 'Elected Mayor' is a misnomer. What we are really talking about is an elected chief executive who will be all powerful in his running of a multi-million pound business -- in Bolton's case, the biggest business in the area. To anybody seriously suggesting that Fred Dibnah could do this job -- what arrant nonsense.

"The Government and people like Ruth Kelly are pushing for an Elected Mayor but none of them have actually said what the Elected Mayor would do. Where is the job description?

"The farce of the London Mayor and the machinations that have taken place could be repeated in a number of large cities. Ken Livingstone was pathetic as chairman of GLC and I doubt if Frank Dobson would be much better.

"The Government in its wisdom gave local authorities three choices. The least objectionable one was to have a cabinet system where all the real power is in the hands of just a few councillors.

"This is a negation of the democratic process that has prevailed for over 100 years. The Government approves this new system because it can control a few councillors much more easily. If there was an elected chief executive then there is only one person to control. The control freakery of National Government is born of arrogance and the blind belief that Government knows best.

"I would be more impressed if the Government could put its own house in order first then deal with the problems of local government finance -- it controls 80 per cent of all local authority expenditure.

"Local authorities have changed out of all recognition and the process of change has been continuous and evolving but what we have from this Government is change imposed by dictate with very little meaningful consultation and that is why so many councillors are resentful.

"Of course some leaders of large cities fancy themselves as elected chief executive, it must be tempting to think of yourself with a five figure salary in an imposing office, or is this a too cynical view?"

The Local Government Bill allows councils to have an elected Mayor, but all three political parties in Bolton have indicated that they do not want one.

However when the Bill becomes law, councils will have to have a referendum if five per cent of the public indicate they want an elected Mayor.

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