Readers are deeply divided over proposals for the biggest shake-up in City Hall for decades.

Questionnaires returned to the Telegraph & Argus after our series about the options facing City Hall showed a majority of only one in favour of a leader and cabinet.

Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood is considering an all-Labour cabinet of executive councillors with a leader who would meet in private to take key decisions.

But other options recommended by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott are for a mayor elected by the people who would rule the city with a powerful manager or an elected mayor with a cabinet.

The Telegraph & Argus can reveal today that neighbour Leeds Council is expected to opt for a mixed party and cabinet leader which would hold its meetings in public.

Council leader Brian Walker says he feels it is essential for councillors to be accountable to their electorate and for people to know who makes the decisions.

Of the questionnaires returned to us, reaction was divided. A small majority wanted a "people's mayor" and powerful manager. In second place - beaten by just one vote - was a leader and cabinet.

The third option, which attracted just over 20 per cent of the vote, was for a directly elected mayor and cabinet of councillors. About one in seven of those who responded did not like any of the options or wanted the Council to remain as it is.

Bradford Council is sending leaflets to 140,000 households in the district together with an update of Bradford's community plan. The Labour group is expected to make its decision on an interim new-look council on April 19.

Coun Greenwood says he will take the views of the public into account and says the new Council will be a pilot scheme until the act to modernise local government is passed by the House of Commons.

He said today that forms returned so far showed a majority in favour of a leader with cabinet.

On Councillor Walker's proposals he said: "Obviously every Council will look at this in different ways, bearing in mind its own needs."

But he believed a one-party cabinet and leader with all parties acting as scrutineers was the most transparent scheme. He stressed no decision had yet been reached in Bradford.

Tory group leader Coun Margaret Eaton warned proposals to set up a cabinet in May should be shelved because public feeling was divided and many issues were unclear. She said the system in Leeds seemed a better way forward.

Liberal Democrat leader Coun Jeanette Sunderland said they were opposed to secret meetings by a one-party cabinet.

The Options

The three options being considered by the Bradford Council Labour group are:

A mayor elected by the people who would select his own cabinet of executive councillors;

A Westminster style cabinet of 'ministers' appointed and headed by the council leader;

A directly elected mayor who would work in partnership with a council manager/chief executive. Councillors would serve on committees to scrutinise their decisions.

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