The Prime Minister today held a meeting with 11 regional leaders where plans to explore further devolved powers were discussed.

Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner met with the leaders where the PM laid out his goal to build a “real partnership” with them.

The leaders present included the only Conservative Mayor, Tees Valley’s Ben Houchen, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

(Image: PA)

The regional mayors were told the new Government wanted to build on their local growth plans and to explore further devolved powers.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said she outlined her ambitions to tackle child poverty in the region: “When I was elected, I vowed to fight for our region on the national stage and end the days where the North East was overlooked. Meeting the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister provided the opportunity to set out how we can work together to make the North East the home of real opportunity. 

“I told the Prime Minister about my ambitions to reduce child poverty in the North East and how doing so will help transform our region. To achieve that, we need to go further and faster on devolution and put power in the hands of local people, so we can shape our destiny. 

“Working together with the new government, we can forge a powerful partnership which unlocks opportunity, tackles child poverty and ensures the North East stands tall as a region. I look forward to working with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to make that vision a reality.” 

Speaking at the meeting, Keir Starmer said: “I know many of you already have growth plans in place – some of you have shared them and that is fantastic.

“What we want to do is build on that with a real partnership where you feel that the Government is up alongside you, supporting what you’re doing.

“I think it’s the first meeting like this in Downing Street.

“I don’t think all the metro mayors have come together in Downing Street like this – so this is a first and that’s good.”

(Image: PA)

The Downing Street meeting was attended in person by 11 mayors from England, with Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard absent because he was ill with Covid.

Labour Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said the meeting “marked a welcome step change in the relationship between mayors and Government”.

She added: “We had a productive discussion about how we will grow our economies and put money back into people’s pockets, build new homes and improve local transport.”

Mr Burnham meanwhile told the BBC the Government’s plans for a “council for regions and nations” was “music to my ears”.

“People may remember some interactions I had with previous governments. It was always struggling to get heard and struggling to get our perspective in the North understood in Whitehall,” he added.

Mr Khan told the PA news agency Sir Keir discussed “other parts of the country where there could be mayors”.

He also insisted having a mayor could be a “real game changer”.

Ms Rayner confirmed that the Government would scrap the phrase “levelling up” from the title of the department she oversees, - now renamed to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The slogan was added to the title of the department during Boris Johnson’s time as premier – something which the new Deputy Prime Minister wishes to move away from.

(Image: PA)

Most read:

Ms Rayner, who is also the Communities Secretary, said her time in office meant “no more gimmicks and slogans, but the hard yards of governing in the national interest”.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned of a combined funding gap of more than £6 billion over the next two years in the local authority sector.

LGA chairwoman Louise Gittins has said it is important to “find a sustainable and long-term financial solution” for councils, and claimed the new Government was facing a “period of huge change but also opportunity”.