A LABOR Party election promise to allow ratepayers to directly elect their mayor for a four-year term appeals to Liberals on Sutherland Shire Council who have been in the role.
Present mayor Kent Johns and predecessors Steve Simpson, Kevin Schreiber and Carol Provan conditionally backed the plan.
Opposition spokeswoman on local government, Sophie Cotsis, has also promoted the policy at Sutherland with Labor candidates Greg Holland (Miranda) and Maryanne Stuart (Heathcote).
Ms Cotsis said mayors should be elected by residents, rather than being chosen in secret meetings and deals once a year.
"Our plan will give the shire's mayor a strong democratic mandate and deliver stable leadership on the council," she said.
Ms Cotsis said elected mayors from Sydney's 41 councils would form a congress which would work with a new Greater Sydney Commission to develop and implement long-term plans to create jobs and improve services.
Mr Holland said residents would be "more empowered".
"If Kent Johns was going to stand for mayor there would be a lot of people wanting to stand against him," he said.
Ms Stuart said that based on comments made to her while doorknocking, she believed residents would welcome the change.
"The community would feel more connected to local government, and they would be more involved in decision-making," she said.
Councillor Johns said that the concept was "definitely worth investigating".
Although there could be problems if a mayor was unable to work with a council, it would be a more democratic process, he said.
Cr Simpson said there would need to be a campaign spending limit to prevent it becoming only a pursuit of the rich.
Cr Simpson said regardless of direct election a mayor's term should be extended to two years.
He said the 12-month term was not even long enough to see through a budget a mayor had brought down.
Cr Kevin Schreiber said electing the mayor was "the right way to go".
"It would give the mayor the chance to work at things over a longer period," he said.
Cr Carol Provan said it was "a fantastic idea" and would also provide more scope for independents.
DEALS DONE
Miranda MP Barry Collier advocated the direct election of mayors when Sutherland Shire celebrated its centenary in 2006.
‘‘I don’t worry about the fact the mayor might not be from the party that has the majority on council,’’ he said.
‘‘It is up to him or her to be accountable to the community and to manage the parties.
‘‘When we vote in a federal or state election, we know who is going to be the Prime Minister or Premier, but at council level we have no idea until the deals are done afterwards.’’
