Mayor of Greater Manchester
The Mayor of Greater Manchester is the directly elected mayor of Greater Manchester, responsible for strategic governance in the region that includes health, transport, housing, strategic planning, waste management, policing, the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and skills. The creation of the Mayor of Greater Manchester was agreed between the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, and Greater Manchester's 10 district council leaders. As well as having specific powers, the mayor chairs the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, also assuming the powers of the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner.
Mayor of Greater Manchester
The cross-borough Manchester Metrolink which has grown from 20 stops in 2009 to 92 in 2014.
Manchester Airport is owned by the ten councils of Greater Manchester and produced a £72 million dividend for local councils in 2013.
Image: Official portrait of Tony Lloyd crop 2
Directly elected mayors in England
Local authority areas in England typically have an executive leader and a cabinet selected from the local council, similar to how the national prime minister and cabinet are selected from Parliament. In contrast, residents of some areas, or groups of areas known as combined authorities or combined county authorities, directly elect the executive mayors of their local government.
Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson were directly elected mayors of London.
Image: Ken Livingstone World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2008 (cropped)