Each of the seven councils in the proposed West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is poised to take responsibility over a different regional portfolio.

With pressure mounting on Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell to introduce an elected mayor, the partnership has decided on a new option for power sharing.

Leaders and chief executives from each local authority are expected to take charge of different policy portfolios when the WMCA takes on its statutory powers in 2016.

Local government minister Marcus Jones last week told the House of Commons that the area would ‘certainly need a metro mayor' if it wanted to put together a devolution package as ‘extensive' as Greater Manchester's.

He added the region now needed to ‘come forward and tell us the level of its ambition' but it was ‘up to them' to decide whether they wanted a mayor.

Mr Jones said: ‘We need governance and accountability so that powers can be exercised properly and effectively, for the benefit of all. 

‘Mayoral governance is an internationally proven model of governance for cities. 

‘Hence, as the chancellor has made clear, we will devolve major powers only to cities that choose to have an elected metro mayor, but the chancellor has also made it clear that we will not impose a metro mayor on anyone.

‘We are determined to hand as much power as possible to places with a clear, strongly led plan. 

‘With their proposal, the seven West Midlands councils are showing what can be achieved by working together to bring greater opportunity to their area. 

‘We look forward to working with them as they develop their proposals.'