The point of a metro mayor is to ‘take the blame' if something goes wrong, Local Government Association chairman Lord Porter has said.

Speaking at a Conservative party conference fringe meeting, Lord Porter described himself as ‘schizophrenic' on the issue of metro mayors.

Lord Porter suggested directly-elected mayors might be able to settle arguments when councillors are ‘fighting like cats and dogs'. 

Some areas have accepted metro mayors because the Government has implied it is the only offer on the table.

Bristol mayor Marvin Rees described metro mayors as the ‘pill' you have to take to get devolution deals.

Francesca Gains, professor of public policy at the University of Manchester, said mayors would make local government more accountable and improve transparency. 

Speaking at a separate fringe event, Lord Kerslake said the Northern Powerhouse agenda was at a ‘fork in the road' and required more ‘local leadership' to succeed.

The LGA president noted more needed to be done to address the north's underperformance in basic and specialist skills.

Chancellor Philip Hammond this week confirmed that negotiations over a second West Midlands devolution deal were underway, with data and criminal justice likely to be included in any agreement.

He told the conference: ‘We are working with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) on a second devolution deal to include new powers on transport, criminal justice, data, planning and skills.'

Andy Street, Conservative mayoral candidate for the West Midlands, told The MJ that the devolution agenda was ‘gaining momentum' and the region was ‘looking forward to Devo 2'.

Business secretary Greg Clark, who was involved in the original West Midlands talks as communities secretary, told The MJ a second devolution deal had always been earmarked for negotiation though data and criminal justice were new to the discussion.

WMCA chair, Cllr Bob Sleigh, said: 'I am delighted that we are to assume responsibility in these key areas as part of the continuing dialogue we have with the government over devolution.

'We told the government that our vision is to see an ambitious West Midlands working with it to deliver major investment guaranteeing future prosperity and this announcement is proof it has confidence in what we are doing to achieve that.'