GARTSIDE IN RUNNING FOR CABINET HOT SEAT

And despite rumours that current leader John Gartside would be taking a step back, he has told the Guardian that he is very much in the running for the hot seat.

But the leadership and Executive membership, which will be voted on anonymously at a meeting of the Labour group and then by full council, will start from scratch and is open to all Labour councillors.

A much smaller group of 10 councillors out of a reduced 58, headed up by a leader, will make all the decisions and these will all be from the ruling Labour party because the opposition Liberal Democrats have opted out.

So far nobody has applied for councillor with portfolio, but it is a time when new, ambitious councillors such as Penketh's David Keane, the youngest ever for Warrington at 23, or Woolston's Maureen Banner, who is already deputy education chairman, could land an executive role.

Each Executive member will have a portfolio such as social services and health or education and lifelong learning, and be solely responsible for that area - having a lot more powers and involvement both legally and administratively.

But this also means that the role will be a lot more time-consuming and could leave some councillors who work full-time out of the running.

"Without knowing what the portfolios are going to be it is difficult to say what is going to happen at the moment," said Clr Gartside.

"The problem with the cabinet is that people who are in employment may well have some difficulties because it is going to be very time consuming being both a political and executive function.

"We will be talking about the modernisation more at the end of October. But I expect, for example, councillors such as Paul Ross, who has an interest in education and lifelong learning, will come forward for that role.

"We have a lot of very competent councillors."

An independent panel will decide on the range of expenses councillors can claim when the system is in place.