The leader of the City Council says it would be worth having an elected mayor if it meant getting more power from central Government.
Cllr Jon Collins wants Nottingham to get a ‘devolution deal’, meaning local councils get more say on how money is spent on local public services.
Greater Manchester has already signed an agreement with the Government, but as a condition must elect a presidential-style mayor.
Cllr Collins is part of a move to get a ‘devo deal’ covering Derby and Nottingham, but the area may have to agree to similar conditions imposed on Manchester.
He said he was “not convinced” a mayor is the best form of local governance, but believes it is a “price worth paying” if it means getting devolution from Chancellor George Osborne.
Coun Collins told Notts TV News: “Ultimately if that’s the price that the Government is asking for the level of devolution that we’re looking at, then as far as I’m concerned that’s a price worth paying.
“But the deal has to be good enough, and the funding we get as a result has to be big enough to make it worthwhile.”
Video: Cllr Jon Collins on why an elected mayor could be worthwhile to get devolution
Any local deal would mean city, county and most borough and district councils forming a ‘combined authority’ – one serving Nottinghamshire and a separate one for Derbyshire.
Detailed proposals for an ‘N2’ combined authority, covering Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and a ‘D2’ combined authority, for Derby and Derbyshire, have already been submitted to Westminster.
There are no formal proposals for a mayor for Notts and Derbyshire yet, but its understood the Government may request one for the region in future before handing down more power.
However, the move could be controversial as Nottingham people voted against bringing in an elected mayor in a 2012 referendum.
What price power?: Devolution explained
-Devolution involves the Government giving local councils more control over how services like education, health and transport are run and financed locally
-It’s known as a form of de-centralisation, moving some power from Westminster to the regions
-Under any deals, the Government keeps control of national security, taxation, major law-making and immigration
