Labour councillors: No metro mayor for West

Some areas are worried about being taken over by Bristol if a "metro mayor" is imposed

Labour councillors on four West of England councils say they will fight any plans for a "metro mayor".

A motion put forward by the party on four councils says it does not want the "unwanted structure" to be "imposed".

There are no firm plans for one for the West but the government is offering political and spending powers to areas with "metro mayors".

South Gloucestershire's Labour leader Pat Rooney said councils were already working like a "well-oiled machine".

Analysis: Chris Brierley, BBC political reporter

The rhetoric from many is clear, yes please to more powers locally. The problem is, the Conservative government seems to like the idea of combined authorities or metro mayors... and that's something the politicians in the West don't seem to want.

Yes they want a "Western Powerhouse" but not if that means a return to anything like an "Avon County Council" or "Avon Lite".

The reason the government likes these models is that it means they have one or two people to talk to instead of a whole table full of council leaders.

And the fear is, if the West doesn't have one or two people singing from the same hymn sheet, it will lose out.

Local politicians say they are working closely together already behind the scenes, so why do they need a new structure to make things better?

Ultimately though it's all about money and getting more of it.

In November, the chancellor announced that Greater Manchester would get an elected mayor to preside over regional issues, in a move agreed with leaders of the region's 10 councils.

The Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill announced in May's Queen's Speech aims to "provide for the devolution of powers to cities with elected metro mayors".

The focus on the "Northern Powerhouse" idea has prompted some political debate in the West about how a "western powerhouse" might take shape.

Somerset County Council Leader John Osman, a Conservative, is convening a meeting of all south west council leaders to discuss the issue on 5 August.

But Labour councillors on four authorities - South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol City Council and North Somerset - are proposing a joint motion saying they back devolution - but only if it builds on "existing structures" not by imposing the "unwanted structure" of a metro mayor. The Labour motion will first be debated by South Gloucestershire Council on 15 July.

Opposition to the idea crosses political divides. Tim Warren, the Conservative leader of Bath and North East Somerset, told the BBC last week: "We are not keen on the idea of a metro mayor. What we don't want to do is be taken over by Bristol. We need to keep our own individuality and character."