AN ELECTED mayor of Oxfordshire will need to be someone who can referee rows betweens councils, the leader of one local authority has said.

Speaking on Thursday night, Bob Price said proposals for the role were yet to be fully agreed but that anyone would be able to stand as a candidate in elections.

The leader of Oxford City Council was giving evidence to its scrutiny committee, which recently published a review of options for devolution – the process of clawing back powers from Westminster.

Mr Price told the committee: “It would be good to get someone as mayor who is not a political party hack and who can really project Oxfordshire’s potential.”

He suggested ‘someone like Lord Drayson’, the businessman, amateur racing driver and former Labour minister who owns Kidlington-based firm Drayson Racing Technologies.

Mr Price added: “It should be someone who can be politically neutral and who can act as an arbitrator between local authorities and take a professional perspective.”

His comments came ahead of crunch talks between council leaders, who are hoping to agree a devolution proposal.

They are expected to put forward plans for a mayor who would lead a combined authority with powers over transport, housing and skills funding for training and further education colleges.

It is hoped that in return the Government will guarantee hundreds of millions of pounds in funding for major schemes.

The proposal has so far been supported in principle by all five of the district councils and Oxfordshire County Council.