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Metro Mayors and Devolution: How England's Regional Leaders Are Reshaping Local Democracy

Politics · January 28, 2025 · Sarah Mitchell · 10 min

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England's 11 metro mayors now govern over 40% of the population with powers over transport, housing, skills, and economic development. The devolution model has delivered investment and visibility but faces criticism over fragmentation, limited powers, and democratic accountability. As more regions seek deals, the future of English governance is being rewritten.

England's 11 metro mayors now govern combined authorities covering 41% of the population—over 23 million people—with powers over transport, housing, skills, and economic development. The model, introduced in 2016 as part of the Conservative government's "Northern Powerhouse" and devolution agenda, has reshaped English local democracy, creating powerful regional leaders who can challenge Westminster and deliver major infrastructure projects.

But the devolution experiment remains incomplete and contested. Metro mayors have far fewer powers than Scotland's First Minister, Wales's First Minister, or even London's mayor. Their authorities operate under a patchwork of different deals, creating inequality and confusion. Voter turnout averages just 28%, and many residents cannot name their metro mayor. As the government pushes to extend devolution to cover 100% of England by 2030, fundamental questions remain about what devolution is for, who benefits, and whether the model can deliver the economic rebalancing it promises.

What are combined authorities and metro mayors?

A combined authority is a legal body that brings together multiple local councils to govern strategic issues across a city region. For example, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) covers 10 councils (Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan) with a combined population of 2.9 million.

Each combined authority is led by a metro mayor, directly elected by voters across the entire area for a four-year term. The mayor chairs a cabinet of council leaders from the constituent councils and has executive powers over devolved functions.

The model was inspired by London, which has had a directly elected mayor since 2000 (currently Sadiq Khan). However, London's mayor has significantly more power—including control over the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, and strategic planning—because London is a unique case with its own legislation.

England's 11 metro mayors (as of January 2025) are:

1. Andy Burnham — Greater Manchester (Labour, elected 2017, re-elected 2021, 2024)
2. Tracy Brabin — West Yorkshire (Labour, 2021, 2024)
3. Steve Rotheram — Liverpool City Region (Labour, 2017, 2021, 2024)
4. Andy Street — West Midlands (Conservative, 2017, 2021, 2024)
5. Ben Houchen — Tees Valley (Conservative, 2017, 2021, 2024)
6. Oliver Coppard — South Yorkshire (Labour, 2022)
7. Dan Norris — West of England (Labour, 2021, 2024)
8. Nik Johnson — Cambridgeshire & Peterborough (Labour, 2021, 2024)
9. David Skaith — York & North Yorkshire (Labour, 2024)
10. Claire Ward — East Midlands (Labour, 2024)
11. Kim McGuinness — North East (Labour, 2024)

Three more combined authorities are expected to elect mayors in 2025-26, including Greater Lincolnshire and Norfolk.

The origins of devolution: from Northern Powerhouse to national policy

The metro mayor model emerged from the 2014 "Northern Powerhouse" agenda, championed by then-Chancellor George Osborne. The idea was to rebalance the UK economy by devolving power and investment to England's major cities outside London, enabling them to compete globally.

The first deal was struck with Greater Manchester in November 2014. In exchange for accepting a directly elected mayor, the region received:

• Control over a £6 billion annual budget covering transport, housing, planning, skills, and business support
• Devolved health and social care budgets (£6 billion), with the mayor co-chairing the health board
• Powers to franchise bus services (previously deregulated since 1986)
• A £300 million investment fund for infrastructure

The deal was revolutionary. For the first time since the abolition of metropolitan counties in 1986, a city region had strategic governance and significant powers. Other cities quickly sought similar deals, and by 2017, six metro mayors had been elected.

The model was extended under Theresa May and Boris Johnson, with devolution deals offered to more rural and mixed areas like York & North Yorkshire and the East Midlands. The requirement for an elected mayor remained non-negotiable—the government insisted that devolution required a single accountable leader, not a committee of council leaders.

What powers do metro mayors have?

Metro mayor powers vary significantly depending on their devolution deal, but typically include:

Transport

Metro mayors control local transport networks, including buses, trams, cycling infrastructure, and strategic road planning. This is often their most visible power.

• Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester) introduced a £2 bus fare cap across the region, saving commuters up to £1,000 annually. He also re-regulated buses under a franchising model (like London), giving the combined authority control over routes, fares, and standards.
• Tracy Brabin (West Yorkshire) is implementing a similar bus franchising system and has invested £830 million in new trains and station upgrades.
• Steve Rotheram (Liverpool City Region) oversees the Merseyrail network and has introduced a London-style integrated ticketing system.

However, metro mayors do NOT control national rail services (managed by the Department for Transport) or strategic roads like motorways (managed by National Highways).

Housing and planning

Metro mayors have powers over strategic planning and can direct councils to build more housing in their areas. They also control housing investment funds (typically £50-100 million annually) for affordable housing, brownfield regeneration, and infrastructure.

• Andy Street (West Midlands) has delivered 12,000 new homes through the combined authority's housing programme and secured £1.5 billion for regeneration projects.
• Ben Houchen (Tees Valley) controversially purchased Teesside Airport for £40 million and invested £100 million in a freeport, attracting major employers like GE Renewable Energy.

Skills and employment

Metro mayors control adult education budgets (£500 million+ annually in large areas), allowing them to tailor training to local employer needs. They also run employment support programmes and apprenticeship schemes.

• Greater Manchester has used its skills budget to create sector-specific training hubs in advanced manufacturing, digital, and health.
• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough focuses on agri-tech and life sciences skills to support its research-intensive economy.

Economic development

Metro mayors oversee business support programmes, innovation funding, and inward investment. They act as the public face of their region, lobbying government and attracting employers.

• Ben Houchen has been particularly active, securing a freeport with tax breaks and simplified planning, attracting £1 billion in private investment and 20,000 jobs.
• Andy Burnham established the Greater Manchester Local Industrial Strategy, focusing on advanced materials, digital, and health innovation.

Limited powers over health and policing

Some metro mayors have influence (not control) over health and policing:

• Greater Manchester and the West Midlands have devolved health and social care budgets, with mayors co-chairing integrated care boards. However, the NHS remains nationally controlled, limiting what mayors can achieve.
• Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire have Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) powers, meaning the mayor also oversees the police force. Other areas have separate elected PCCs.

What metro mayors do NOT control

Crucially, metro mayors lack powers over:

• Schools and education (controlled by the Department for Education and academy trusts)
• Hospitals and the NHS (nationally controlled, though some mayors co-chair local health boards)
• Welfare and benefits (controlled by the Department for Work and Pensions)
• National rail and strategic roads (controlled by the Department for Transport and National Highways)
• Taxation (metro mayors cannot raise taxes; they rely on central government grants and council contributions)

This means metro mayors can influence but not control many of the issues that matter most to residents, such as hospital waiting times, school quality, and benefit levels.

The funding model: devolution or dependence?

Metro mayors control significant budgets—Greater Manchester oversees £6 billion annually—but most of this is passported funding from central government with strict conditions. Mayors have limited discretion over how it is spent.

Combined authorities receive funding from:

1. Devolved grants: Central government devolves specific budgets (e.g., adult education, transport) to combined authorities. These come with conditions and cannot be used for other purposes.

1. Investment funds: One-off capital grants for infrastructure (e.g., £900 million for West Midlands transport, £700 million for Liverpool City Region).

1. Council contributions: Constituent councils contribute to the combined authority budget, typically through a levy on council tax or business rates.

1. Business rates retention: Some combined authorities retain a share of business rates growth to incentivize economic development.

1. Borrowing: Combined authorities can borrow for capital projects, but this must be repaid from future revenue.

Critically, metro mayors cannot raise taxes. Unlike London's mayor (who can levy a precept on council tax) or the Scottish and Welsh governments (which can vary income tax), metro mayors rely entirely on central government grants and council contributions. This limits their autonomy and makes them vulnerable to funding cuts.

Achievements and controversies

Metro mayors have delivered tangible successes:

• Andy Burnham's £2 bus fare has been widely praised and copied by other regions.
• Ben Houchen's Teesside freeport has attracted major investment, though critics question the cost and whether jobs are genuinely new or displaced from elsewhere.
• Andy Street's Commonwealth Games (2022) showcased Birmingham globally and delivered £1 billion in infrastructure.
• Steve Rotheram's £700 million transport deal is upgrading Liverpool's rail and bus networks.

However, controversies abound: