00Introduction

The first metro mayor of Sheffield City Region will need a vision for the city region and clear, strategic, deliverable policies to meet it. The challenge and workload will be considerable, with powers and expectations ranging from delivering policy to establishing the institutions and capacity for effective city-region governance. This briefing offers three priorities that address the biggest issues facing Sheffield City Region.

A ‘quick win’ will help the mayor to set the tone for delivery right from the start. Delivering results quickly will build trust, and show what the metro mayor is able to do for the city region. The best quick wins in these circumstances are high profile and of value to citizens.
Strategic decisions form the framework for delivering the metro mayor’s vision. As such, the mayor will have the power to take the decisions that will make the most of the new geography of governance. While the mayor will be keen to show progress towards their vision, strategic decisions will often take longer to show outcomes, therefore careful evaluation is needed to allow for flexibility and to demonstrate the effects.

A long-term vision for the city region will be the key election platform — it is what the mayor is working towards while in office. This should be ambitious, but reflect the real needs and potential of the city region. Some aspects of the vision will be achievable within the mayor’s term in office, while others will build momentum or signal a change in direction. It is important to be clear and strike the balance of where each policy lies on this spectrum.