Directly elected Bristol Mayor, George Ferguson, has called on local leaders in Bristol and Bath to rise to the challenge of creating a combined authority.

In his annual state of the city address, the independent mayor said the Bath and Bristol city region could not afford to miss out on the chance to capitalise on the current appetite for greater devolution of powers from Whitehall.

Mayor Ferguson explained the city hoped a Combined Authority would give the city region greater powers over transport, homes, skills funding and strategic planning.