SIX candidates will fight it out next month to become the first-ever directly elected Mayor of the new York and North Yorkshire combined authority.

With nominations now closed, all four main political parties – Conservatives, Greens, Labour and Lib Dems – will be fielding candidates in the May 2 vote. But no-one from the Yorkshire Party will be standing.

The candidates are, in alphabetical order:

  • Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, Liberal Democrat – a Yorkshire businesswoman (and co-owner, with her husband Mark, of Swinton Park Hotel) and North Yorkshire unitary councillor for Masham and Fountains
  • Keane Duncan, Conservative – a former leader of Ryedale District Council from May 2019 to February 2021. He became the council leader at 24, making him the youngest council leader in the country at the time
  • Kevin Foster, Green - the North Yorkshire unitary councillor for Hipswell & Colburn and a former civil servant who also served more than 30 years in the Armed Forces Reserves
  • Paul Haslam, independent – the North Yorkshire unitary councillor for Bilton & Nidd Gorge and the council’s climate change champion
  • David Skaith, Labour – A York businessman (owner of Winstons of York clothing retailer) and former chair of York High Street Forum
  • Keith Tordoff, independent – a one-time Leeds police officer turned businessman (he owns a sweet shop in Pateley Bridge) and former chairman of Nidderdale Chamber of Trade, who was made an MBE in 2018

Voting will be held at polling stations across the region on Thursday May 2, with the votes being counted on Friday May 3. The winning candidate will take up post on Tuesday May 7.

It’s an election that will affect every one of the 800,000-or so people that live in the region.

The new Mayor will preside over a ‘Combined Authority’ made up of delegates from both City of York and North Yorkshire councils.

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Both of those councils will continue doing what they do now. But the new Mayor will have more strategic, regional responsibilities - with real power and money to spend.

He or she will have responsibility for a ‘Mayoral Investment Fund’ worth £540 million over 30 years.

The Mayor – not to be confused with the Lord Mayor of York, a ceremonial role which will continue – will have powers to secure the development of land for housing, and funds to improve transport across the region.

He or she will also have responsibility for adult education – and will take on the powers of the police, fire and crime commissioner.

A spokesperson for the new combined authority, which has already been set up in preparation for the May 2 election, said: “Our Mayor will be a strong voice and a champion for York and North Yorkshire businesses and communities.

“They’ll provide key leadership in public safety, taking on the role and functions of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

“This is an opportunity for more control over our region and how our economy can grow in the right ways to create new jobs and opportunities for local people.”

The Press is inviting all six candidates to provide written statements setting out what their priorities would be if elected.

We will bring you the response from each candidate ahead of the election – starting from next week.