The government’s plans for Essex devolution – which could see the election of a county-wide mayor and the abolition of district councils – have been put out for public consultation.

The proposed Mayoral Combined County Authority – known as Greater Essex – would cover the local government areas of Essex County Council, Thurrock Council and Southend-on-Sea City Council and see district councils including Tendring merged into three or more larger unitary bodies. The new authority would be able to increase council tax through a “mayoral precept” to fund local priorities.

Elections for a mayor are likely to take place in 2026 and elections for county councillors – scheduled for May this year – will be postponed, partly to avoid the expense.

The new Greater Essex authority would have more powers over spending on housing and regeneration, local growth, adult skills and local transport. It would have the ability to improve bus services by determining fares, routes and timetabling in a similar way to London and Greater Manchester, have more say in connectivity and ticketing on the railways, and work with National Highways to better manage and prioritise strategic routes.

In a blog to coincide with the consultation launch, Essex County Council leader Kevin Bentley said: “With devolution, councils will have greater power to make real changes at a local level. An elected mayor will be able to direct money where it is most needed and attract businesses to Essex from across the UK and the world.”

He added: “This is the first significant change to local government in 50 years, and it means our great county will become even greater in the future.”

Before taking a decision on whether to move forward, the government says it wants to hear from the public. The consultation – which can be found here – includes questions on the proposed geography and how the new authority would make decisions. It runs until Sunday, April 13.