Residents at North East council vote to retain system of elected mayor

The option of keeping the system of a directly elected mayor received 8,674 votes.

The alternative option of having a Leader who is an elected councillor chosen by a vote of the other elected councillors received 6,455 votes.

The turnout was 15.06% of a total electorate of 100,629.

The current Mayor, former police officer Ray Mallon, was first elected in 2002. He will step down in May 2015 when an election will be held to elect a new Mayor.