▁and ▁Liverpool ▁City ▁Council ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁exerc ised ▁their ▁option ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁directly ▁elected ▁mayor ▁without ▁a ▁refer endum . ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁citizens ▁of ▁S alf ord ▁collected ▁the ▁required ▁number ▁of ▁sign atures ▁to ▁force ▁a ▁refer endum , ▁which ▁was ▁successful . ▁The ▁first ▁mayor al ▁election ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁Using ▁the ▁powers ▁in ▁the ▁Local ism ▁Act ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁on ▁ 3 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁refer end ums ▁were ▁held ▁in ▁ 1 0 ▁English ▁cities ▁to ▁decide ▁whether ▁or ▁not ▁to ▁switch ▁to ▁a ▁system ▁that ▁includes ▁a ▁directly ▁elected ▁mayor . ▁Only ▁one , ▁Br istol , ▁voted ▁for ▁a ▁mayor al ▁system . ▁Don c aster ▁voted ▁to ▁retain ▁its ▁elected ▁mayor al ▁system ▁in ▁a ▁refer endum ▁held ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁day . ▁ ▁Metro ▁May ors ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁a ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Gre ater ▁Manchester ▁would ▁be ▁created ▁as ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Gre ater ▁Manchester ▁Com b ined ▁Author ity , ▁subject ▁to ▁new ▁primary ▁legisl ation . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁elections ▁were ▁held ▁for ▁Gre ater ▁Manchester , ▁the ▁Liverpool ▁City ▁Region , ▁the , ▁Te es ▁Valley , ▁West ▁of ▁England ▁and ▁the ▁West ▁Mid lands ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁de volution ▁de als ▁allowed ▁by ▁the ▁C ities ▁and ▁Local ▁Government ▁De volution ▁Act ▁