British Conservative politician and Tees Valley Mayor since 2017
The government has unveiled plans to give England’s mayoral authorities a share of income tax to fund local development. While praised as a potential fix for regional inequality, the policy will take years to implement and risk leaving slower-growing areas behind, as councils seek to borrow for major projects amid central oversight.
Mayors will keep a share of income tax and business rates from 2027-28, replacing central grants and empowering local areas to fund transport, housing and jobs. The reform is pitched as the biggest transfer of power in a generation, with details to be announced in the autumn budget as Burnham leads devolution push.