Local Government Act 2000

Local authority executives

11 Local authority executives

(1) The executive of a local authority must take one of the forms specified in subsections (2) to (5).

(2) It may consist of—

(a) an elected mayor of the authority, and

(b) two or more councillors of the authority appointed to the executive by the elected mayor.

• Such an executive is referred to in this Part as a mayor and cabinet executive.

(3) It may consist of—

(a) a councillor of the authority (referred to in this Part as the executive leader) elected as leader of the executive by the authority, and

(b) two or more councillors of the authority appointed to the executive by one of the following—

(i) the executive leader, or

(ii) the authority.

• Such an executive is referred to in this Part as a leader and cabinet executive.

(4) It may consist of—

(a) an elected mayor of the authority, and

(b) an officer of the authority (referred to in this Part as the council manager) appointed to the executive by the authority.

• Such an executive is referred to in this Part as a mayor and council manager executive.

(5) It may take any such form as may be prescribed in regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(6) Regulations under subsection (5) may, in particular, provide for—

(a) a form of executive some or all of the members of which are elected by the local government electors for the authority’s area to a specified post in the executive associated with the discharge of particular functions,

(b) a form of executive some or all of the members of which are elected by those electors but not to any such post,

(c) the system of voting that will be used for elections under paragraph (a) or (b).

(7) A local authority executive may not include the chairman or vice-chairman of the authority.

(8) The number of members of a mayor and cabinet executive or a leader and cabinet executive may not exceed 10.

(9) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend subsection (8) so as to provide for a different maximum number of members of an executive to which that subsection applies, but the power under this subsection may not be exercised so as to provide for a maximum number which exceeds 10.

(10) Section 101 of the [1972 c. 70.] Local Government Act 1972 (arrangements for discharge of functions by local authorities) does not apply to the function of electing a leader under subsection (3)(a) or appointing councillors or an officer to the executive under subsection (3)(b)(ii) or (4)(b).

12 Additional forms of executive

(1) In deciding whether to make regulations under section 11(5) prescribing a particular form of executive, or which provision to make under section 17 in relation to that form of executive, the Secretary of State must have regard to—

(a) any proposals made to him under subsection (2),

(b) the extent to which he considers that the operation by a local authority of executive arrangements involving that form of executive would be likely to ensure that decisions of the authority are taken in an efficient, transparent and accountable way,

(c) the extent to which that form of executive differs from the forms of executive for the time being permitted by or under section 11,

(d) the number and description of authorities for which he considers that that form of executive, if prescribed in regulations made under section 11(5), would be an appropriate form of executive to consider.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a local authority may propose to the Secretary of State a form of executive in relation to which the authority consider that the conditions mentioned in subsection (3) are satisfied.

(3) Those conditions are—

(a) that the operation by the authority of executive arrangements involving that form of executive would be an improvement on the arrangements which the authority have in place for the discharge of their functions at the time that the proposal is made to the Secretary of State,

(b) that the operation by the authority of executive arrangements involving that form of executive would be likely to ensure that decisions of the authority are taken in an efficient, transparent and accountable way, and

(c) that that form of executive, if prescribed in regulations made under section 11(5), would be an appropriate form of executive for all local authorities, or for any particular description of local authority, to consider.

(4) A proposal under subsection (2)—

(a) must describe the form of executive to which it relates,

(b) must describe the provision which the authority consider should be made under section 17 in relation to that form of executive, and

(c) must explain why the authority consider that the conditions mentioned in subsection (3) are satisfied in relation to that form of executive.