Metro mayors and combined authorities
The nutshell
A combined authority is a group of local councils that team up to run services across one big area, like Greater Manchester. Many of these areas also elect a leader, called a metro mayor, to lead that shared work.
Every fact on this page comes from official guides and non-partisan explainers. Each source tag — like HoC — opens where a fact comes from.
The basics
What a combined authority is
A combined authority is a legal body that two or more local councils can set up to work together. It lets councils across one big area take joint decisions and take on powers passed down from central government. Combined authorities were created by a 2009 law, and the first one, Greater Manchester, began in 2011.HoC
What a metro mayor does
Many combined authorities also have a directly elected leader, called a metro mayor. A metro mayor is chosen by voters across the whole area, not just one town. The Institute for Government says a metro mayor usually gains a say over things like transport, skills and housing.IfG
What powers move to the area
Under devolution — moving power closer to home — some decisions and money move from central government in London to the local mayor and combined authority. The UK government's English Devolution White Paper says this gives mayors powers over areas such as transport, housing, planning and skills.GOV
How a metro mayor is chosen
A metro mayor is picked in a direct election. The Electoral Commission explains that a combined authority mayor, also called a metro mayor, is elected to lead a combined authority, where a group of local councils work together on issues that affect the whole area, such as transport and housing.EC
- A combined authority lets two or more councils work together and take on powers and money passed down from central government, the House of Commons Library explains
- A metro mayor is directly elected by voters across the whole area, and usually gains a say over things like transport, skills and housing, according to the Institute for Government
- As of May 2025 there were 14 regional mayors in England, including the Mayor of London, the Institute for Government records
- A combined authority does not replace local councils, and each council keeps running its own local services, the House of Commons Library notes
- A combined authority can exist with or without a mayor, so not every area with joined-up councils has a metro mayor, the House of Commons Library explains
- A metro mayor is not the same as a council leader or the mayor of one town, and covers a much wider region, according to the Electoral Commission
The deep end6 min
How a combined authority is set up
A combined authority is a legal structure that local councils in England can set up. The House of Commons Library explains that two or more councils can form one, and it can take on functions transferred to it by the government plus any functions the member councils agree to share.HoC A combined authority can exist with or without a directly elected mayor.HoC
The mayor and the wider area
A metro mayor leads the combined authority and is elected by voters across the whole region, not by councillors alone. The Institute for Government describes metro mayors as directly elected leaders who chair a combined authority made up of a group of local councils, with powers devolved from central government.IfG As of May 2025 there were 14 regional mayors in England, including the Mayor of London, according to the Institute for Government.IfG
What a devolution deal covers
The powers a metro mayor holds are set out in a devolution deal agreed between the government and local leaders. The UK government's English Devolution White Paper says devolution moves decisions and funding from Westminster to local mayors, over areas such as transport, housing, planning and skills.GOV The exact powers differ from area to area, so not every mayor has the same role, according to the Institute for Government.IfG
Why the picture keeps changing
English devolution is still growing. The House of Commons Library notes that combined authorities began with Greater Manchester in 2011 and more areas have joined since.HoC The UK government has set out plans to extend mayors and combined authorities to more of England, according to its English Devolution White Paper.GOV