The end for elected Mayors?

I've just seen the news that voters in Stoke-on-Trent have voted to end having a directly elected Mayor. (BBC News: City's mayor to go following vote)

Now I don't know much about the politics of Stoke-on-Trent and it seems that they have a unique set-up for running the authority, so this may just be a local matter. But the actual question is interesting:

Are you in favour of the proposal for Stoke-on-Trent City Council to be run in a new way, which includes a councillor, who will be elected by the councillors of Stoke-on-Trent to lead the Council and the community which it serves?

Whatever the details this question is effectively describing a standard councillor led system. I wonder what the results would be if Newham held a fresh referendum on whether or not to keep its elected Mayor?

Of other note the turnout was just 19.23%. One has to wonder if there shouldn't be a threshold for referendums that carry major changes.

So can a Labour mayor run for three terms?

Here's an interesting story: BBC News: Mayor expelled from Labour Party. Martin Winter, has been seeking a third term as Mayor of Doncaster "but Labour rules do not allow someone to run for a third time".

So why is he having to go outside the party to pursue this aim, yet Ken Livingstone was put to the people of London yet again? Does Labour believe in term limits or not? Or do the rules change depending on the personality?