Election for powerless South Yorkshire mayor to go ahead

A £1 MILLION election will be held to choose a South Yorkshire mayor next year — who will have no powers or budget.

Sheffield City Region’s near £1 billion devolution project came to an end last month as Barnsley and Doncaster councils pulled out.

But speaking during a special debate on South Yorkshire devolution last night (Tuesday) Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry confirmed an election for a mayor for the Sheffield City Region Mayor will be held on May 3, 2018.

He said: “It is the law of the land that the election for a Sheffield City Region Mayor will take place on May, 3 2018.

“We (The Conservative Party) stand ready and are proceeding to select our candidate for South Yorkshire Mayor election.”

A city region spokesman said: “As things stand, a mayoral election is still set to go ahead in May 2018, to elect a mayor for the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.

“This mayor will chair the combined authority, have equivalent voting rights to existing local authorities at its meetings, and also have some powers relating to bus franchising.”