Mayoral Matters: Public Attitudes to Mayors and Devolution in 2024
The government has put widening and deepening devolution at the forefront of its plans for national renewal. There is a consensus that the country has been over-centralised for too long, contributing to low economic growth, stagnating living standards and place-based inequalities ranging from healthy life expectancy to housing affordability.
But devolution so far has been piecemeal - both in depth and breadth. To chart the way forward, it is essential to understand the public’s views on mayors and devolution, particularly among those who have experienced it first-hand.
For the first time, we present an analysis of polling conducted within 12 current mayoral areas and two future combined authority geographies (with mayors elected in 2025). We find that:
Mayors are becoming well-known established figures on the political scene. On average, 50% of people in mayoral areas are able to correctly identify their mayor - potentially more than for MPs - with 59% of people able to do so in the areas with the most advanced devolution settlements (such as Greater Manchester).
Individual mayors tend to be more popular than not. In the 12 areas with mayors, on average people think their mayor is performing well rather than badly by 33% to 27%.
Those living in areas with more advanced devolution settlements are more likely to believe their individual mayor is doing well - and even though this is matched by increases on the other side of the ledger the average is still positive. Around one third think their mayor is doing well on average - rising to 38% in areas with the most advanced devolution settlements.
People are divided on the overall process of devolution. Across the 14 areas, 30% believe that it has so far gone well, and 29% believe it has gone badly. However, six in ten (61%) across the 14 areas say they have no concerns about further devolution to elected regional mayors - and areas with the most advanced settlements have the fewest concerns.
Popular mayors have the potential to create a virtuous cycle of trust. There is a strong link between views on individual mayors and views on devolution as a whole, with those thinking their mayor is doing well being most likely to think devolution across the country is going well (61%).
The public are more enthusiastic about greater mayoral control over economic policy areas like housing and transport, but also greater influence over policy areas like health and education. The more advanced areas are more likely to express a preference for more mayoral responsibility.
In general, those surveyed express interest in different tiers of government working together rather than any tier of government having total control.
Overall, the government’s ambition to widen the map of devolution across England is well-founded.
Areas that have had the most devolution tend to be more supportive. There is also an appetite for further mayoral influence over a range of policy areas, particularly economic policy levers like housing and transport, but also in public services like health and education. It is clear that popular and visible mayors can deliver tangible results for their residents. And, delivering for residents in collaboration with other tiers of government can rebuild trust. This long-term project will take time and effort to bear fruit - but the ends of increased growth, better public services and a more vibrant democracy are worth it.