In its devolution White Paper published in December, the Government sets out its vision to create strategic authorities with control of a wide range of areas, including transport and local infrastructure, skills and employment support, housing and strategic planning, economic development and regeneration, environment and climate change, health, wellbeing and public service reform, and public safety.

In terms of health, the document says the combined authorities are ‘designed to bolster' the roles of public bodies such as the NHS.