Don't be left in the dark: Devolution and mayors

Devolution is one of the biggest changes in the way decisions are made locally. In England, devolution means transferring power and funding for services from national to local government. A major part of this is the introduction of mayors directly elected by local people in areas covered by combined authorities.

Under the terms of any devolution deal agreed with government, some powers will rest with the mayor and some with the combined authority as a whole. In both cases the exercise of these powers is overseen by an overview and scrutiny committee. The separate powers and functions of each will be written into legislation and approved by Parliament.

The first mayoral elections will take place in May 2017. This short guide gives information on the role of combined authority mayors, what they will do and what this means for the residents they serve.