Mayors Burnham and Rotheram say housing will be a key priority as they work with new government
ITV Granada Reports' Elaine Willcox reports from Downing Street on the mayors' first meeting with the Prime Minister
The approach of the new prime minister signals an "exciting new relationship with government" which promises to "get things done" the region's mayors have said.
Sir Kier Starmer met with mayors from across England, including the Metro Mayors of both Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region, just four days after being elected Prime Minister.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, called it an 'historic meeting' and said the announced Council of the Regions and Nations "will change the way the UK is run - and give the North of England more say than ever before".
Others hailed the potential for a “step change” in their relationship with the Government after Sir Keir said he would strive to build a “real partnership” with the English leaders.
Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor for the Liverpool City Region, described the feeling as "magical", saying it was "a new way of working, a better way of working and a more collaborative approach."
He added that in Liverpool especially, there was a "real opportunity to take back some of that preeminence there was of a great city and city region."
"He's promised to start tackling the housing crisis, and said now there was a real opportunity to look at affordable rents," he added.
"He also said he wants to see a return to council house building."
The new government is already supporting Peel's development of Liverpool's Central Docks with plans for over two thousand homes.
ITV Granada Reports Correspondent Elaine Willcox spoke to Steve Rotheram after the meeting with the Prime Minister
Mr Burnham, said housing was one of his big priorities and his message to the new Government was to "fix the housing crisis."
He said: "We don't just want to build 1.5 million homes, we need to build all types of homes in the right places."
He also talked about the need to address the cladding crisis and called for a new law - a Grenfell law - which would "enshrine into UK law a human right to a good, secure, safe home.
"There are too many of our residents living in homes that damage their health, homes that don't give them that piece of mind because of those safety issues."
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