'We don't need a mayor' - readers have their say on Mansfield Council's motion to explore other leadership structures

Mansfield Council has approved a motion to explore the potential change in its governance – after 21 years of a mayor system – following campaigns from numerous political parties in several recent elections calling for the elected mayoral position to be dropped.

Current Labour mayor Andy Abrahams secured the role in 2019, beating former mayor Kate Allsop by two votes, before retaining the position in May this year as he increased his vote share by more than 4,000 votes.

However, now his Labour administration could give residents the opportunity to vote again on whether the mayoral system is right for the town.

Elish Mcclory, commenting on your Chad Facebook page – fb.com/mansfieldchad – said: “We don't need a mayor.”

Paul Rolling said: “Scrap the position. Waste of money.”

And Tim Haycock said: “Finally. The council are actually listening to what the people of Mansfield have been saying for a number of years now.”

Others felt differently on the subject.

Coun Martin Wright, deputy leader of Mansfield Independents on Mansfield Council, said: “There will be little saved financially if mayoral governance is exchanged for a strong leader and executive or committee system, they will all be paid for their roles. Check out Ashfield Council which currently operates a strong leader with executive system.

“The public can vote a mayor out after four years, a leader is elected by the majority party. The last leader of Mansfield Council was in post for 20-plus years and there was nothing the public could do about it.

“Coun Ben Bradley is in that position at Nottinghamshire Council.”

A devolution deal for the East Midlands could also mean a regional mayor across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Charles Cannon said he felt the position had been “used” by other parties as an “excuse to vent and ignore their own failings.”

He said: “The title is fairly irrelevant. It's how the mayor choices to use it that matters.

“Note the main critic is Coun Bradley. The same person who since he first stood has been single minded on becoming an overpaid regional mayor.”