Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire will be getting a new Greater Manchester-style elected mayor under devolution plans, the government has confirmed.

The government announced as part of the Budget that it is in the 'final stages' of agreeing a mayoral strategic authority for Staffordshire and nine other areas of England.

The new mayor will wield devolved powers in areas such as economic development, transport and skills.

Earlier this month, Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, local authorities, businesses and education providers united in calling for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire to be prioritised for a mayoral strategic authority, saying it would help secure long-term funding and attract investment.

It is not yet known when Staffordshire's new mayor will be in place, but the government says it wants all of England to be covered by devolution deals by the end of 2028.

Chancellor John Healey announced fiscal devolution plans in his Budget speech, saying that all mayors will receive a share of income tax from 2028, as well as 20 per cent of local business rates and the power to introduce an Overnight Visitor Levy.

Staffordshire's Labour MPs welcomed the announcement of a new mayoral authority.

In a joint statement, they said: "This is great news for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

"For too long, decisions about our future have been made too far away.

"Devolution means putting more power in the hands of people who understand our communities – so we can back local jobs and businesses, improve transport and skills, and bring investment to the places that need it.

"This is an important step towards making sure our area has a stronger voice and can shape its own future."

Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Gareth Snell added: "We've watched as the West Midlands, the East Midlands and big city regions motor ahead with investment in buses, building new roads and creating new jobs and now it's Stoke-on-Trent's turn to see the benefits of devolution.

"There is still work to do to get this right but this announcement is a huge step forward."

Politicians in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire from across the political spectrum have supported mayoral devolution for the area, saying it should be prioritised over the far more controversial proposals for local government reorganisation, which are currently paused and being reviewed.

Jonathan Gullis, the Reform UK leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, welcomed the announcement but said 'the devil will be in the detail'.

He said: "A strategic mayoral authority for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent has the potential to be a real game-changer for our area, helping us attract investment, create better-paid jobs, improve skills and apprenticeships, and deliver a more joined-up public transport network.

"However, the devil will be in the detail.

"For devolution to deliver on its promise, it must mean real powers and control being transferred from Westminster to Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, backed by the funding needed to make a meaningful difference to people's lives."

Stoke-on-Trent City Council was led by an elected mayor between 2002 and 2009 – the position was controversial and residents eventually voted to move to a leader-and-cabinet system.

The new elected mayor for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire will be very different, wielding greater strategic powers across a wider area.

The mayoral authority will be a separate organisation to the local councils in the area, with its own staff and budget.