RADICAL plans to bring cabinet-style government to Blackburn town hall are to be put before councillors.

Top ranking councillors are to take over the responsibilities of entire committees, such as education and social services.

They will meet in a cabinet chaired by the leader of the council and two deputies elected by the majority party on the authority - currently Labour.

Council leaders chose the new model ahead of other options presented by the government, including having a mayor or council leader elected by the people of the borough, separate to local government elections.

The new structures will reduce the amount of time councillors spend in formal committee meetings by half.

Councillors from all parties who are not involved with the cabinet will be given a "scrutiny" role, similar to backbench MPs in parliament.

They will carry out this role through an executive committee and a policy and review committee.

The full council will only meet formally on two occasions each year and for other meetings take the form of a council forum, at which members of the public will be allowed to speak.

Jobs up for grabs on the council cabinet will be education and lifelong learning, social services, regeneration, resources, citizen's rights and consumer affairs, housing and neighbourhood services, leisure and culture.

Planning, highways and licensing council committees will remain as they are at present because of their legal role.

A report which will be presented to councillors says: "The effect of these proposals is to reduce the overall time members would spend in formal meetings."

A special meeting of the policy and resources committee will meet tonight to discuss the plans.

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