APATHY towards local government is growing. We need only look at voter turn-out to see that it is a turn-off.

In some local elections in North Yorkshire as few as one in five voters bothered to put their cross on the ballot paper. That is scandalous, and the Government is right to look at ways of improving such a sorry situation.

We can be thankful that the idea of having an elected Lord Mayor of York seems to have been rejected. That would have despoiled an ancient and venerable office.

But a number of other options for new-look local authorities have being put forward. One being considered by City of York Council is the election of a cabinet of chief councillors, each responsible for a different area of services.

The remaining members would act as "back benchers" and scrutinise the work of the cabinet.

It is certainly an innovative suggestion. As our report tonight suggests, it could pave the way for all sorts of city favourites taking the reins of power. Certainly Dame Berwick Kaler would make an entertaining Minister of Fun. And Tony Blair could not wish for a more effective cabinet enforcer than Henry Wharton.Seriously, though, it is hard to see this project working. Voters used to placing a single cross against their chosen candidate may be taken aback by a list of names, a list of cabinet posts and only a few moments to match one with the other.

There is no need to rush into any improvements, however. City of York Council aims to be in the second wave of reform. That would allow it to benefit from the mistakes of the pioneering councils.

Residents are only now becoming used to the councils they got after the last shake-up. Let's take our time over the next one.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.