What do Mayors in England actually do?

Confused about all these different mayors in England? This short explainer breaks down the difference between council mayors and combined authority mayors (aka metro mayors). It explains what each one does, why they’re different, and why the government’s pushing for more metro mayors as part of their devolution agenda.

Following the Devolution White Paper of December 2024, mayors have been brought to the forefront of the political conversation in England, but you would be forgiven for asking which ‘type’ of mayor is which.

For instance, in this most recent round of local elections, both North Tyneside and Doncaster saw council mayors elected, while in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, West of England, Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire, voters chose combined authority mayors.

As the current local government reorganisation agenda progresses, it is essential that there is clarity about these leadership types. The difference extends beyond nomenclature and encompasses power, responsibility, and how the regional and local governments operate.

What are council mayors?

Introduced by the 2000 Local Government Act, council mayors are political leaders of a single local authority, such as a metropolitan borough council. Their role is to directly exercise the council’s executive functions, which are devised by its appointed cabinet. There is generally a large focus on social care, local planning and waste management by those in these posts.

Despite an early push for this type of leadership in the early 2000s, the model seems to be fading, with the government now prioritising combined authority mayors – as laid out in the Devolution White Paper at the end of 2024.

There are currently 13 Council Mayors in England in the following councils:

1. Bedford Borough Council
2. Croydon London Borough Council
3. Lewisham London Borough Council
4. Newham London Borough Council
5. North Tyneside Council
6. City of Doncaster Council
7. Hackney London Borough Council
8. Leicester City Council
9. Salford City Council
10. Tower Hamlets London Borough Council
11. Watford Borough Council
12. Mansfield District Council
13. Middlesbrough Borough Council

Despite this coverage, this type of mayoralty has been ephemeral in many parts of the country and other governance models have been preferred. Council mayors have ceased to exist in the following councils for various reasons:

• Bristol City Council (abolished in 2024 following referendum)
• Stoke-on-Trent City Council (abolished in 2009 following a referendum)
• Hartlepool Borough Council (abolished in 2023 following a referendum)
• Torbay Council (abolished in 2019 following a referendum)
• Liverpool City Council (abolished in 2023 following a council decision)
• Copeland Borough Council (abolished in 2023 following local government reorganisation)

What are combined authority mayors?

Combined authority mayors, also commonly referred to as metro mayors, differ in that they lead multiple constituent councils that have amalgamated to form a combined authority.

What is a combined authority, you ask? We’ve got all the details here.

This new type of mayor became central to the coalition government’s devolution agenda in 2014.

The role of metro mayor is strategic and cross-boundary. Their remit extends beyond that of a council mayor in that they cover areas like transport, economic development, skills and infrastructure planning. Combined authority mayors also chair a board of all the constituent council leaders, and collaboration amongst all is required to make a decision.

The government’s Devolution White Paper at the end of last year turbo-charged the push for this type of mayor through the creation of Mayoral Combined Authorities. Councils across England were invited to form proposals for these new authorities earlier this year. At LGIU, we recently analysed these proposals in detail to provide exclusive insights for members on what they mean for the future of local government in England.

Read our analysis here if you’re an LGIU member! Not a member yet? Talk to us about joining.

Essentially, the White Paper outlined how the government intends to introduce a single voting system in Mayoral Combined Authorities to allow the mayors of such bodies to make decisions more easily without ‘blockers’, to ensure quick and effective mayoral governance.

The current UK government has a preference for combined authority mayors because they see them as essential to delivering the ‘devolution’ agenda.

Not all mayors are created equal

To further confuse matters, some areas, like Doncaster, which have a council mayor, are also part of a combined authority which have their own mayor. While they are distinct roles, the accountability and responsibility of each can be blurred for the public.

Those in favour of mayors say that they offer visible leadership and accountability with a direct mandate. Others have criticised the recent push for mayors as being at the cost of true localism and diverting power too far away from communities. LGIU’s recent polling with Ipsos suggests that the public has a generally positive attitude towards them.

Looking into the future at an English local government landscape where every citizen will be covered by a mayor, we need to ensure that we exploit all the benefits of mayoralties. This will only be done through effective relationship building between mayors, constituent councils and other partners. Above all, mayors must be understood by and accountable to the public, who they ultimately serve.

What is the reorganisation agenda? Get into the details with LGIU’s essentials devolution and reorganisation kit here.