A TWELVE-WEEK public consultation on whether Redbridge should have a ‘H’Angus the Monkey’ style elected mayor, has gathered just 14 votes.

The council is required by law to decide before the end of the year whether to have a directly elected mayor, or simply to give more power to the existing leader.

The cabinet is expected on Tuesday to recommend that the second option is adopted, rather than putting the leader of the council to the public vote every four years.

Councils around the country have had the power since 2000 of having their leader directly elected but only 12 have so far, most famously in Hartlepool where football fan Stuart Drummond campaigned while dressed in a gorilla outfit under the name ‘H’Angus the Monkey,’ and was elected on a platform of free bananas in schools.

Residents in Redbridge currently elect 64 councillors every four years who, in turn, elect both a cabinet and a leader from among their number.

Under the Local Government Act 2007 the council is required to change this system.

As well as a directly elected mayor and cabinet, it was offered the option of having councillors elect their leader for a fixed four year term, who would also be allowed to appoint his own cabinet members.

Although the consultation was advertised on the council’s website and in the council newspaper Redbridge Life, only five people voted for the option of a directly elected mayor, and seven for a more powerful leader.

The cabinet’s recommendation will be put to the full council before the end of the year and the new system will come into force after the next council elections in May 2010.