The Mayor of the Liverpool City Region (also styled as Metro Mayor; legally the Mayor of the Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral Combined Authority), is the directly elected mayor of the Liverpool City Region, who is responsible for regional governance over a number of issues, the Mayor has powers devolved to them from the Central Government, as well as this the mayor chairs the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.[3]
| Mayor of the Liverpool City Region | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Style | Mayor[1] |
| Status | Combined authority metro mayor |
| Member of | Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Council of the Nations and Regions Mayoral Council for England |
| Appointer | Electorate of the Liverpool City Region |
| Term length | 4 years |
| Constituting instrument | Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 |
| Deputy | Deputy Mayor |
| Salary | £96,000[2] |
| Website | Liverpool City Region Mayor |
The first, and current, officeholder is Steve Rotheram, who was elected to the post in May 2017.[4]
The office was created under the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 which allowed for the creation of 'mayors' to lead combined authorities in England.[5]
Powers and responsibilities
editThe Mayor chairs the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which is responsible for governance of the region.
The Mayor handles a £30 million a year budget, which is reviewed every 5 years by HM Treasury, as well as being in control of a consolidated transport budget, coordinating economic development in the region, the adult skills budget and strategic planning for land and other roles.[6][7]
Currently, unlike the Mayors of Greater Manchester, London and West Yorkshire the mayor of the Liverpool City Region doesn't incorporate the powers of the Police and crime commissioner role for the relevant police constabulary (the Merseyside Police). In March 2019 Steve Rotheram requested to the government that the role be incorporated into the role of the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, in line with the powers of these mayors.[8] This was supported by the leader of Knowsley Borough Council. However, the Liverpool City Region is not the same area as the Merseyside Police area, which does not include Halton.[9]
in October 2023 it was announced that the Liverpool City Region would be bringing buses in the region back under public ownership, giving the Mayor control over routes, frequencies, fares, standards and more.
The mayor is a member of the Mayoral Council for England and the Council of the Nations and Regions.
Governance arrangements
editUnlike the directly elected London Assembly scrutiny structure that operates in Greater London, the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region sits on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority alongside the six council leaders as the seventh member and chair.
The council leaders form the part of senior members of the Mayor's cabinet, each with a clear portfolio of responsibilities, with one of the council leaders selected by the mayor to act as Deputy Mayor.
List of Mayors
editMayor of the Liverpool City Region
edit| Mayor of the Liverpool City Region | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Picture | Term of office | Elected | Political party | ||
| Steve Rotheram |
|
8 May 2017 | Incumbent | 2017 2021 2024 |
Labour Co-op | |
Deputy Mayors
editThe Deputy Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, is a Council Leader from one of the boroughs of the City Region and Portfolio Holder in the Mayors Cabinet, appointed at the Mayors discretion, The functions of the role are outlined in the City Regions constitution to act in the event of the Mayors absence, to fulfil the functions of the Mayor in their absence such as Chairing the combined authority, or to discharge any powers of the Mayor that could not reasonably be delayed. the role was established in 2021. unlike the Mayor they do not have a honorific prefix such as Deputy Mayor Infront of their name.
| Deputy Mayors of the Liverpool City Region | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Picture | Term of office | Mayor | Council | Political party | ||
| Janette Williamson | 
|
May 2021 | June 2023 | Rotheram | Wirral | Labour | |
| David Baines | 
|
June 2023 | July 2024 | St Helens | Labour | ||
| Mike Wharton | July 2024 | Incumbent | Halton | Labour | |||
References
edit- ^ Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, s 107A(5)
- ^ "City Mayors: Salaries of British mayors".
- ^ "Liverpool City Region Combined Authority - Mayoral Election" (PDF). liverpoolcityregionelects.org. p. 2. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- ^ "Liverpool 'metro mayor' results: Labour's Steve Rotheram elected". BBC News. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
- ^ "Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
- ^ "Everything you need to know about metro mayors: an FAQ". Centre for Cities. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "Liverpool City Region agree on Metro Mayor's powers". BBC News. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ Liam Thorp (22 March 2019). "Steve Rotheram: 'Scrap Police Commissioner and give me the job'". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ Nick Tyrrell (21 March 2019). "Knowsley Council leader backs getting rid of separate police and crime commissioner role after latest resignation". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 15 April 2019.