Last week saw two major deals sealed as both the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Merseyside put pen to paper, seizing control of roughly £1bn each over the next 30 years as well as securing metro mayors to oversee proceedings.

George Osborne’s Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine appear to have come a step closer as leaders from both combined authorities claim to have secured the ‘best’ and ‘biggest’ agreements they could. But aside from the huge cash injections the regions will receive, some feel the deals do not offer much past standard skills provision and devolved transport budgets.