A TOP Midlands councillor has warned that Government ministers may force through democratic changes in Stoke-on-Trent if councillors try to reject them.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is consulting community groups and businesses on whether to switch from annual local elections to all-out polls every four years.

Stoke-on-Trent elects 20 of its 60 councillors each year, then has no elections in the fourth year, but Whitehall is keen for cities to change to whole-council elections.

City councillors are divided on the proposal, which would also pave the way for the introduction of single-member council wards and smaller ward boundaries by 2011.

The changes were put forward in a critical report earlier this year by the Stoke-on-Trent Governance Commission, which claimed the electoral reforms were needed to repair the city's "broken" political system.

The city council agreed in July to work towards implementing the recommendations.

During a visit to the city, Nottingham City Council's deputy leader, councillor Graham Chapman, told members all-out elections had been a success at his authority.

He said: "All-out elections are the best thing for Stoke. With a four-yearly election, you get a far clearer mandate and stability of administration, but at the same time you get very swift change. The public prefer four-yearly elections and the turnout is higher.

"Councillors also get fatigued with annual elections, and sometimes we need to make hard decisions in our wards and to do that we need a bit of respite from elections."

Mr Chapman said Stoke-on-Trent had many strengths, including its prime location for businesses.

But he warned: "Fragmentation is an issue here. You are having to deal with six separate towns and the distribution of council seats at the moment is very fragile.

"What Stoke needs more than anything else is stable leadership for the whole city and its economy.

"You have got rid of the elected mayor system, which I think was the wrong decision. With annual elections, you could possibly have a scenario where you change the leader and the portfolio holders every year, and you would end up with a vacuum in the council.

"I spoke to the minister [local government minister John Healey] in the Commons and I got the impression this is a very big issue. It may be one for you to get hold of or it may be for him to get hold of, but it is going to be far better coming from you."

When asked by councillor Roger Ibbs, Conservative and Independent Alliance leader, to clarify whether the Government would impose the changes, Mr Chapman said: "I had a conversation with the secretary of state. I talked about Stoke and I am fairly convinced that one of the sticking points is the electoral cycle."

Mr Ibbs told fellow members: "There is an expectation that we will go to four-yearly elections and not just us, but across the country. We in this city have the opportunity to either show that we understand that or not." The city council's consultation on moving to whole-council elections runs until the end of this month. Anyone wishing to register their views can pick up a form from their nearest neighbourhood centre.