▁member ▁of ▁the ▁council ) ▁may ▁not ▁personally ▁direct ▁any ▁member ▁of ▁staff . ▁According ly , ▁an ▁elected ▁mayor ▁cannot ▁really ▁be ▁accur ately ▁character ised ▁as ▁an ▁executive ▁mayor , ▁as ▁in ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁US ▁and ▁certain ▁other ▁countries , ▁but ▁more ▁as ▁a ▁semi - exec utive ▁mayor . ▁ ▁Cons ult ations ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 2 ▁English ▁cities ▁due ▁to ▁have ▁refer end ums ▁over ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁elected ▁may ors , ▁over ▁what ▁powers ▁those ▁may ors ▁should ▁have , ▁and ▁how ▁they ▁should ▁be ▁scr ut in ised . ▁ ▁Refer endum ▁results ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁there ▁have ▁been ▁ 5 3 ▁refer end ums ▁on ▁the ▁question ▁of ▁changing ▁executive ▁arrang ements ▁to ▁a ▁model ▁with ▁an ▁elected ▁mayor . ▁Refer end ums ▁are ▁triggered ▁by ▁council ▁resolution , ▁local ▁pet ition ▁or ▁central ▁government ▁inter vention . ▁Of ▁these , ▁ 1 6 ▁have ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁mayor alty ▁and ▁ 3 7 ▁have ▁been ▁rejected ▁by ▁vot ers . ▁A verage ▁" yes " ▁vote ▁is ▁ 4 5 %. ▁Typ ical ▁turn out ▁is ▁around ▁ 3 0 %, ▁but ▁has ▁been ▁as ▁low ▁as ▁ 1 0 % ▁and ▁as ▁high ▁as ▁ 6 4 %. ▁The ▁turn out ▁is ▁higher ▁when ▁the ▁refer endum ▁coinc ides ▁with ▁another ▁vote , ▁such ▁as ▁an ▁election . ▁ ▁There ▁have ▁been ▁six ▁refer end ums ▁on ▁the ▁question ▁of