devloution

A government minister has told the BBC Merseyside is not ready to get a so-called “devolution deal” following a “disappointing” bid.

Devolution allows local government to control certain budgets and services in exchange for a directly-elected mayor.

The Liverpool City Region is one of 38 bids under government consideration and those behind it said discussions had actually been “very positive”.

Greater Manchester was the first area to sign such a deal in November 2014. Part of the government’s northern powerhouse programme, it will eventually give the city region much greater control over transport, skills and housing. Greater Manchester will have a directly-elected mayor from 2017.A similar deal was signed with the Sheffield City Region earlier this month. Talks are still under way and officially the Treasury said Liverpool’s bid is not falling away. But, the minister has indicated Liverpool will not be in the first wave of successful bids.

He told the BBC the bid was “disappointing” and the document “felt more like a thesis of what they should say, rather than what they really wanted. “But one of the six council leaders, who does not wish to be named, confirmed that agreement was unlikely but said he was happy with that. Some of the leaders are deeply sceptical about the merits of devolution, particularly the government’s requirement to have a directly-elected mayor. Devolution and its rural implications was discussed at the RSN annual conference – copies of the presentations and outcomes are available on the RSN website