Local elections 2021: Liverpool City Region mayor poll ends 'odd campaign'

Voters might struggle to identify with the concept of the Liverpool City Region

If I had a pound for every time I am asked "why does Liverpool have three mayors?", I would never have to pay to cross the Mersey again.

In this election campaign, transport is one of the biggest issues - but somehow, it has never really felt like it has got going.

The Liverpool City Region (LCR) metro mayor was a role created as part of a devolution deal for five Merseyside councils - Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton, Knowsley and Wirral - plus Halton, which is in Cheshire.

So the city region combined authority, of which the mayor is chair, is still something voters might struggle to identify with.

Using Liverpool in the region's title creates confusion, as well as potentially alienating those who do not see themselves as having anything to do with Liverpool and the city's own mayor and Lord Mayor both also have the word Liverpool in their titles.

You can see why it makes people's heads spin.

There are 1.6 million people in the LCR and, as part of that devolution deal, its mayor has a budget of £900m over 30 years and powers on skills, some aspects of planning and housing and transport.

This is the second time this contest has been fought.

In 2017, Labour's Steve Rotheram was elected with 59.3% of the vote, while the Conservatives came second with 20%.

Four years later, Mr Rotheram's seeking re-election, but it's been a very odd campaign, overshadowed by the battle to be the next Liverpool city mayor - which many people believe is more unpredictable (and therefore more exciting).

The Covid pandemic has raised the profile of metro mayors, who have been able to bang the drum for their regions on national platforms, particularly during the period when different restrictions were introduced in different areas, but being heaped with praise by Boris Johnson several times in the House of Commons was not an experience the Labour mayor relished.

But ask people on the streets of Southport or Runcorn what the metro mayor is for, and they might struggle to answer.

Public transport is the biggest part of the metro mayor's remit and Mr Rotheram's been promising a "London-style integrated transport system" for four years.

But it's been a painfully slow vision to realise.

He clearly finds it frustrating that he cannot simply take control of the buses, introduce capped fares and make the trains, ferries and buses all seamlessly connect, but he says the Buses Bill is almost "impenetrable" and so is watching closely what's happening to buses in Greater Manchester.

Green candidate Gary Cargill is an actor from a staunchly Labour background, but says becoming a father made him convinced a more radical agenda was needed to tackle climate change.

He argues that despite declaring a climate emergency, the six Labour-run councils in the LCR have done little to address environmental issues.

He is in favour of a circular economy, and says he does not believe the city region should pursue growth at any cost.

Liverpool City Region's mayor is based in Liverpool, but has responsibilities for a much-wider area

The Conservative candidate is Jade Marsden, who has previously stood for election in Bootle and Sefton Central.

She says she would lobby government to make the city region an urban national park.

The Liberal Democrat's David Newman is a foster carer from Southport, who has previously stood as a parliamentary candidate in Walton and in Somerset.

He stepped in to replace Andy Corkhill as the Liberal Democrat candidate, after the councillor withdrew due to illness.

It has been a frustrating campaign, marred by last-minute hustings cancellations, but with the prospect of the role of Liverpool city mayor being scrapped in a couple of years, the LCR mayor could end up being the only mayor that matters on Merseyside.

ENGLAND'S ELECTIONS: THE BASICS

What's happening? On 6 May, people across England will vote for new councillors, mayors and police and crime commissioners.

Why does it matter? When parties win control of a council, they decide policies for your area which could affect services ranging from social care to rubbish collection. Find out more about what councils do.

Who can vote? Anyone who lives in England, is registered to vote and aged 18 or over on 6 May is eligible. Find your local election here.