OXFORD and its surrounding towns could gain an elected “metro mayor” under laws set to be introduced by the Government.

Treasury officials yesterday confirmed Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s offer of devolution was open to all English city regions.

In a speech this week Mr Osborne also said some powers could be given to towns and counties by extending the ‘City Deal’ programme.

And council leaders yesterdaysaid they would not rule out introducing a mayor if the benefits were great enough.

Oxfordshire Growth Board chairman and West Oxfordshire District Council leader Barry Norton said they would be “duty bound” to consider the move.

The growth board is a body made up of Oxfordshire’s district council leaders and the county council leader, formed to make strategic decisions for the county.

Mr Norton said: “If we are offered anything that could bring more money into Oxfordshire for better infrastructure, then we would be duty bound to look at it.

“What form it would take or what region it might cover though is not clear because you could have lots of variations.

“But everything is to play for and it is likely to come up at the growth board – we will just need more information from the Government first.”

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price said the prospect of an elected mayor was “far-fetched” but could depend on whether the benefits were good enough.

He added: “The general view in the city has always been against having an elected mayor because of the degree of power it puts into one person’s hands.

“I don’t think it would get much traction unless the powers were limited and the benefits were very large. We would prefer to carry on down the route of giving more powers to a committee of elected councillors.”

Their comments came after Oxfordshire County Council announced a list of powers which it wanted to jointly obtain in an “alliance” with neighbouring Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire to generate £9bn of growth every year.

In his speech in Manchester, Mr Osborne said cities and regions could gain more powers through directly-elected mayors or possibly more city deals.

A city deal for Oxford and the rest of the county was announced at the end of January 2014, promising £55.5m of funding and more than 50,000 jobs for the county.