Barnsley MP Dan Jarvis elected Sheffield City Region mayor

Barnsley MP Dan Jarvis has become the first directly elected mayor of the Sheffield City Region.

Barnsley MP Dan Jarvis has become the first directly elected mayor of the Sheffield City Region.

Turnout in the election was just over a quarter (25.82%). In total, 260,260 votes were cast. Sheffield City Region has an electorate of 1,007,985.

Mr Jarvis took 48% of the vote in the first count and was elected mayor after the second count, which saw him comfortably defeat his Tory rival Ian Walker.

He will serve as both Barnsley MP and Sheffield City Region mayor after he successfully challenged Labour's decision to stop him from holding two public offices.

Barnsley MP Dan Jarvis has become the first directly elected mayor of the Sheffield City Region. Credit: ITV News

Voting in the election was restricted to Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley. These are constituent members of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.

Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire, Bolsover, Derbyshire Dales and Bassetlaw were excluded as non-constituent members.

What powers will he have?

  • Dan Jarvis has been elected for a four-year term. The next election will take place in 2022.

  • The new Mayor will act as an ambassador for the Sheffield City Region; promoting it as a place to live, work, visit and invest in.

  • The Mayor will be a member, and chair, of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.

  • The Mayor will have certain public transport powers relating to how buses may operate in the future.

  • Further powers and resources may be devolved to the Mayor and the Combined Authority if agreement can be reached in the future.

  • There is not currently no salary attached to the position of Sheffield City Region mayor.

What does it mean for devolution?

In his victory speech he stressed the case for a wider Yorkshire devolution deal and defended his decision to stand in the election.