North Somerset Council has rejected proposals to join the £1bn West of England devolution deal.

Council members last night have voted not to accept the deal, which included the requirement for a directly elected mayor and combined authority in the region.

North Somerset leader Cllr Nigel Ashton will now launch an appeal to Bristol mayor Marvin Rees alongside leaders at Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire for a joint approach to improving the deal on offer.

Cllr Ashton, said: ‘I am disappointed that despite all our efforts, the deal proposed by Government is not attractive enough for us to support.

‘I believe strongly, and this view has been supported by my fellow councillors, that we shouldn’t accept the deal offered in March. Devolution of funding from central government is attractive in principle, but not at any cost.