Thank you for following up on my previous letter (Show us your CV, Letters to the Editor, 23 April). The variation in both content and quality makes interesting reading. I am not entirely sure that ‘in the real world’ the submission of such ‘thin’ documents would lead to a job interview for any of these candidates, let alone an appointment to the role!

I am also grateful to Mr Bramley-Harker (Mayoral qualifications, Letters, April 13) for his attempt to answer the questions I originally posed. I agree with him that the ‘FAQs’ from Watford Council that you published in the April 6 edition of the paper do nothing really to explain exactly what it is that the mayor does, and what he or she is accountable for.

I find it slightly alarming that it is proving to so difficult to extract this basic information from anyone. Does the council not have a ‘job description’ or equivalent for the role of mayor? If not how on earth is anyone ever going to know if the job being done is good or not?

To make is easier, perhaps the council (or current mayor) could answer for me the following question. Who specifically is accountable to voters for the setting and spending of the council’s budget? According to the council’s publication the budget for 2018/19 is £71.6 million. Not an inconsiderable sum, and all of which comes from taxpayers, either locally or nationally.

I should also be interested to understand the role that the managing director plays in the functioning of the council, and the responsibilities and accountabilities of that role vis a vis the mayor.

If we as voters and taxpayers are to fund the post of mayor, it is surely not unreasonable that we should understand what we are paying for. A salary of around £70,000 is not unreasonable if it comes with full accountability for the council’s budget and other activities; but if the prime functions of the mayor are ribbon cutting and issuing pronouncements, without any defined accountabilities, then it is not good value for money.

I am afraid, Mr Bramley-Harker, that without an answer to the simple question above, I am no nearer the decision as to where my X should go!

Jerry England

Cassiobury Park Avenue, Watford