3.—(1) An elected mayor of a local authority may appoint not more than one person (an “assistant”) to provide assistance to him.
(2) Any appointment of an assistant is an appointment as an employee of the authority.
(3) No appointment of an assistant shall be such as to extend beyond—
(a)the term of office for which the elected mayor was elected; or
(b)where the elected mayor ceases to be the elected mayor before the end of the term of office for which he was elected, the date on which he ceases to hold that office.
(4) Subject to paragraphs (7) and (8), an assistant shall be employed on such terms and conditions (including conditions as to remuneration) as the elected mayor thinks fit, within the financial resources available to the authority.
(5) Where the elected mayor appoints an assistant, he shall report to the authority in writing—
(a)the name of the assistant; and
(b)the terms and conditions on which the assistant has been appointed.
(6) An assistant is to be regarded for the purposes of Part I of the 1989 Act (political restriction of officers and staff) as holding a politically restricted post under the local authority.
(7) Subject to paragraph (8), section 9(1), (3), (4), (8), (8A), (8B) and (9) of the 1989 Act(1) (assistants for political groups), and any order made by the Secretary of State under section 9(4a) of the 1989 Act, shall apply in relation to the appointment of an assistant as if any appointment to that post were the appointment of a person in pursuance of that section.
(8) Subsection (3) of section 9 of the 1989 Act shall apply in relation to the appointment of an assistant as if the words from and including “and that the appointment terminates” to the end of that subsection were omitted.
Section 9 was amended by S.I. 2001/2237. There are other amendments to section 9 that are not relevant to these Regulations.