Concern over cross-border Metro Mayor idea

Speculation two Welsh councils could share a “metro mayor” with two others in England have been dismissed. 

A report on the Mail Online website claimed Monmouthshire and Powys were being lined up as a region for a new metro mayor with neighbouring English counties Herefordshire and Shropshire. 

The website had produced a map showing the border counties as one of 29 new proposed metro mayor regions under a shake up of local government, in England, announced by the UK Labour Goverment. There are already 11 areas of England with regional mayors including the West of England. 

Monmouthshire County Council has however dismissed the speculation, and pointed out organisation of local government in Wales remains a responsibility of the Welsh Government. 

A spokesman said: “The reforms the UK Government has announced are for local government in England only, the devolution of powers to local authorities within Wales remains the responsibility of the Welsh Government.” 

Richard John, the Conservative opposition leader on Labour-led Monmouthshire County Council, had posted on social media there is “no mandate” for a super authority covering the area historically known as the Marches, which he considered unlikely. 

Cllr John shared the Mail story and stated: “Struggling to believe there have been any serious talks about a combined authority and a directly elected mayor for Monmouthshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Powys but we do need this ruled out. There’s no mandate for it.” 

Last year Monmouthshire agreed a partnership with Powys and the two English counties subject to the speculation to work closer together. 

The council’s spokesman said that is intended to help attract investment in projects such as new roads.

They said: “Marches Forward Partnership is a groundbreaking partnership between Herefordshire, Powys, Shropshire and Monmouthshire county councils, helping to increase investment and accelerate delivery of key infrastructure projects.  

“Since signing the memorandum of understanding between the four local authorities in October 2023, the partnership has provided a flexible umbrella framework for joint working, supporting local service delivery based on how people and places function, providing opportunity for mutual benefit to be gained through strengthened collaboration between the councils.” 

Part of the proposals announced for England by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner would involve streamlining the current two-tier system of district and borough councils, while Wales moved to single unitary authorities nearly 30 years ago. 

The plans would give regional mayors more powers over housing, transport, education and employment intended to help drive economic growth, all areas the Welsh Government has responsibility for and which could create potential conflict, and questions around democratic accountability, if areas of Wales were under separate governance arrangements.