Cheshire East Council councillors have backed a move to a committee system form of governance.
They have voted in favour of replacing the current leader and cabinet model.
The new arrangements will take effect from May 2021 and will be legally binding for five years.
Members passed a formal resolution in November, which contained recommendations around principles and structure of committees, the roles of the leader and deputy leader and processes for decision reviews, including urgent decision-making.
The original notice of motion to move to a committee system was approved at a meeting of full council in May 2019.
It called for the new arrangements to be developed during the 2019/20 municipal year with an implementation date of May 2020.
Cllr Sam Corcoran, leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “A change of decision-making arrangements by any local authority is a profound step and is a decision which is binding for five years.
“This is an important and significant change for Cheshire East, and to ensure we can adequately plan and drive forward preparations, the new system will now take effect from May 2021.”
Cllr Craig Browne, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “I would like to thank the constitution committee, and its working group, for the continued hard work done since May 2019 and also thank all councillors who continued to be engaged in the process and the officers who have supported and continue to support this process.”
Cllr James Nicholas, chair of the constitution committee, said: “I welcome this resolution to change our form of governance at Cheshire East.
“A committee system form of governance enables more elected members to be involved in decision-making – helping to ensure the process is fairer, with collective accountability across politically balanced committees.”
The period between now and May 2021 will provide time for the outstanding detail of the committee system to be agreed, and for extensive training and awareness for both officers and councillors.
Papers from the special council meeting can be viewed at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy by selecting ‘Council meetings’.
More rubbish to cloud our intelligence when is middlewich going to have its bypass and why don’t the councillors fix the signage in Sandbach because Sandbach say Middlewich bypass would lead to gridlocking which Sandbach already suffer from gridlocking, nothing to do with Middlewich.