THE leaders of Merseyside’s six local councils are holding a crunch meeting on September 2 to put together their shopping list for "home rule" for the Liverpool city region.

I want people to understand that this is not about taking powers away from local councils and other organisations

While the wish-list is taking shape there is still no sign of a metro mayor being agreed as a Mister – or Ms - Big – to follow the lead of neighbouring Manchester.

Chancellor George Osborne has already made it clear city regions wanting full super-powers have to be run by a metro mayor.

Manchester is already well into the lead with an interim metro mayor ahead of an election among the residents of the ten authorities that make up Greater Manchester.

Members of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority are saying that any deals offered by the government must be rubber-stamped by each of the six authorities: Liverpool, Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral and the council covering Widnes and Runcorn, Halton.

Last week the combined authority met to discuss the scope of a potential devolution deal with the Government and the benefits it could bring for the Liverpool city region.

A communique after that meeting stated: “Members were mindful of the opportunities any deal could bring in terms of having more influence and control over mainstream Government money spent within the city region, but currently decided in Westminster and Whitehall rather than in the city region. Examples of such budgets include: economic development, transport, skills and employment, housing and planning, business support and health and social care.”

The pow-wow was the latest in a number of meetings to pave the way for a devolution bid to Government, which has to be submitted by a September 4 deadline. The expectation is that the proposals will be discussed in detail with the Government over the autumn, during which time the extent of devolution on offer would become clearer.

The communique continued: “Members were keen to emphasise that the shape of any deal is about drawing additional powers, control and resources down from London rather than taking sovereignty away from existing local authorities.

“Members were also clear that any actual agreement with Government would require the approval of individual councils with appropriate consultation processes put in-place. No agreement would be reached if Government did not commit to transfer sufficient powers to make devolution worthwhile and no deal could be reached if councils were not enabled to make the final decision.”

The ChancellorThe Chancellor wants metro mayors

Cllr Phil Davies, leader of Wirral Council and the city region’s current "Mister Big" as chair of the combined authority, said: “I am pleased that we are making extremely good progress in developing the list of ‘asks’ from Central Government. This is a journey that we are on together as a city region which could lead to us gaining significant control over resources currently decided by anonymous officials in Whitehall who know little, if anything, about our area.

“I want people to understand that this is not about taking powers away from local councils and other organisations – rather it is about us deciding how best to spend public money ourselves .

“Liverpool city region is not like any other area of the country. It has its own unique opportunities and challenges, and that is why it is so absolutely vital that funding decisions are made locally and not dictated nationally.”

Liverpool's Mayor Joe Anderson said: “It is only once we know how much government is willing to devolve to the city region that we will be able to decide whether or not it is something that we want to accept.

“For many decades, local government has had powers taken away from it by Whitehall, and we now have an opportunity to turn the tide. Making decisions on key services and priorities locally is much better than London deciding the destiny of the city region.”

Mayor Anderson has made it clear he backs the idea of a metro mayor, saying Liverpool city region would be left further behind Manchester if it does not follow their lead.

What remains to be seen is whether, during the talks over the autumn, the government makes it clear that a Deal/No Deal depends on whether Liverpool agrees to a metro mayor. The risk is a watered-down version of devolution will be offered to Merseyside which would be seen as a government "punishment" for not playing its metro mayor game.