This week the Labour party announced its candidates for metro mayor for the regions of Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and the Liverpool City Region. As Sadiq Khan has demonstrated in London, the new metro mayors being introduced in up to nine city regions next May will have real authority and be responsible for setting out a strategy for growing their city region economy, with certain powers over key issues like housing, energy and transport. The combined authorities will in theory take on more functions than they were allowed to under previous legislation which could mean genuine opportunities opening up for the sustainable energy sector and for the health and wellbeing of our cities. Liverpool metro mayor hopeful Steve Rotherham has already talked of how he wants to power homes across Merseyside through tidal energy and create a new Liverpool City Region Renewable Energy company to bring down energy bills. “Investing in green energy,” he said, “means helping future generations save money as well as boosting our local economy through apprenticeship and employment opportunities.” Similarly, in his manifesto Sion Simon – Labour’s candidate for West Midlands metro mayor – has pledged to crack down on pollution and tackle fuel poverty through investment in the green economy, local energy production and investment in energy efficiency measures.
Metropolitan Mayors
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