THE introduction of metro mayors has been a success for the North and devolution should be rolled out to other areas, according to a report.

The Working Together: Devolution in the Northern Powerhouse report, by Lord Jim O’Neill, vice-chairman of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, found that the introduction of metro mayors in the Liverpool, Greater Manchester and Tees Valley areas had been a “hugely positive development”.

But, Lord O’Neill said there were “notable regional gaps”.

He called for the Government to prepare to conclude a deal for Cheshire and Warrington “immediately”.

He acknowledged it was “not objectively possible” to judge the success of devolution only 12 months after the metro mayors were elected, but said the figures were likely to show some narrowing between the North West and London.

The report said the North West had posted its highest rate of regional growth in over three years at the end of 2017, when growth was slowing in much of the rest of the country, and house prices had risen in the North East, Yorkshire and the North West while they had fallen one per cent in London.

GM Mayor Andy Burnham and Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram support the call for more devolution.