MERSEYSIDE’S political leaders are deeply divided over the proposal for a directly elected mayor for the region.

An exclusive poll by the Daily Post has revealed significant differences between the six council leaders across the so-called city region.

Last week ministers announced a surprise rapid-fire consultation to decide which powers city mayors should enjoy.

The document was immediately seen as the opportunity for Merseyside to put forward a blueprint for a city-region mayor – as proposed by Lord Heseltine and former Tesco chief Sir Terry Leahy in a recent report.

The Daily Post has found Liverpool council leader Joe Anderson has the most enthusiasm for the plan out of the six leaders.

But St Helens leader Marie Rimmer and Wirral’s Steve Foulkes are vocal opponents.

Sefton’s Peter Dowd and Knowsley’s Ron Round are not opposed to the idea with caveats, while Halton leader Rob Polhill said he did not yet have a position.

The governance of the region tends to come into focus when councils clash over large schemes. Everton FC’s scrapped plan to move to Kirkby and the aborted Merseytram projects are examples that caused bitter division.