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 a combined authority mayor, who chairs the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.[3] 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]
The 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.
Unlike 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.