Should the county have a cabinet, electors asked

ELECTORS are being asked for their views on Buckinghamshire County Council's plan to become a cabinet-style council.

Local authorities across the country have been given three options for their structure under the Local Government 2000 Act.

The county council wants to have a council leader, elected by councillors, who will work with a cabinet of leading members, each of whom would hold a portfolio for services such as transport.

Other councillors would review and question the decisions of the leader and the cabinet in what would be known as scrutiny committees.

Cllr David Shakespeare, chairman of the council's policy and resources committee, is keen to know what local people and council staff think before a final decision is taken.

He said: 'Big changes are on the way which will involve moving away from traditional committees to a cabinet-style council.

'The services we provide, like schools, libraries, roads and social services, touch the daily lives of everyone in the county. That's why we're asking people to take the time to tell us what they think.'

Other options under the Local Government Act include an elected mayor working with a cabinet or a council manager.

Cllr Shakespeare added: 'We are thinking very carefully about how to reorganise the council in a way that will make sure we continue to provide the people of Buckinghamshire with high quality services which are good value for money. We want local people's views to be part of that thinking.'

Thousands of copies of a consultation paper explaining the changes have been delivered to households selected as a representative sample of the council's population.

Some will be asked to give their views in face-to-face interviews arranged by consultants KPMG which is carrying out the research.

A report on the results of the research will go to the council's policy and resources committee on Thursday which will then recommend to the full council the shape it thinks the new structure should take.