Voters in North Tyneside will be given the power to choose how the local council is run: either retaining the current elected mayor or opting for a new committee system.
North Tyneside Council has agreed to hold a referendum to enable the local electorate to decide what form of local governance they would prefer. The referendum will take place on the same day as the next local elections to ensure the process of cost-effective.
Current elected mayor Norma Redfearn said: 'Before I was elected in May 2013, residents asked me to hold a referendum and I promised I would take it forward.
'This referendum will give the voters of North Tyneside the opportunity to choose how they want their council to be governed from May next year.'
The council adopted the elected mayor model of governance in May 2002, following a public referendum.
