The referendum to decide if Bradford will be run by a directly-elected mayor will be staged next May, it was announced yesterday – ending 18 months of uncertainty.

A call by Government advisers to delay the poll by 12 months – amid fears that widespread scepticism will deliver a ‘no’ vote – has been rejected, ministers said.

And a separate recommendation for a ‘metro mayor’ with responsibility for the whole of West Yorkshire, to allow greater powers to be devolved, has been ruled out as “too difficult”. Greg Clark, the Cities Minister, said: “We intend to have the referenda in all cities in May next year. We think we should get on with it.”

Pushing for a metro mayor – to cover many different council areas – would require fresh primary legislation to create a new legal authority, the minister said.

Mr Clark said: “I know that has its advocates, but it would need a wholesale reorganisation of local government boundaries. It is better to press ahead to devolve powers to existing authorities.”

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