Greater Lincolnshire voters will go to the polls in a historic election to choose the first Mayor in just six months. The devolved authority will unite Lincolnshire County Council, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire Council for the first time.
The mayor will have more power to make decisions locally, such as Greater Manchester’s Andy Burnham or East Midlands’ Claire Ward. The deal will move more powers on transport, investment and housing from Westminster to Lincolnshire.
The combined county authority will stretch from the Humber in the north to the Wash in the south, and from the River Trent all the way to the North Sea. It is set to be one of the biggest political shake-ups in the county’s history.
When will Lincolnshire vote?
The Mayoral election will be held the same day as the next local elections – Thursday, May 1 2025. The results will be tallied and announced later that night or early next morning.
Who is in the running?
No candidates have been confirmed yet. Given Lincolnshire’s history of electing Conservatives, there will likely be fierce behind-the-scenes campaigning to become the Tory candidate.
Several former MPs who lost their seats in the General Election have already thrown their hats into the ring, including Karl McCartney (Lincoln) and Matt Warman (Boston & Skegness). Nottinghamshire County Council leader Ben Bradley, who was unsuccessful in becoming the East Midlands Mayor, has also reportedly put his name forward.
The position could prove tempting for the three current Tory council leaders – Martin Hill (Lincolnshire), Rob Waltham (North Lincolnshire) and Philip Jackson (North East Lincolnshire). The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that the Conservative selection process is expected to be completed by Christmas.
There are also plenty of senior figures from the Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green and Independent groups among Lincolnshire’s district and city councils who might wish to have a go. On the Reform side, MP Richard Tice is a likely name after picking up the Boston & Skegness seat in the General Election.
What difference will a mayor make?
In theory, it means the decisions which were made in London will now be made in Lincolnshire. The directly-elected Mayor will receive a budget of £24m per year for the next 30 years, along with an additional £20m for regeneration and £8 for brownfield housing.
Devolution aims to give a greater voice to local leaders who know what is best for the region. The cross-border authority in Greater Lincolnshire will also encourage more collaboration between the partners involved.
What will happen to the current councils?
They will mostly remain the same, although some powers around transport will move to the new combined authority. Residents will still pay council tax to the district and county councils, and won’t be charged any more for the devolved government.
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