Police commissioner Tony Lloyd is to be appointed interim mayor of Greater Manchester - despite council leaders initially hitting a dramatic deadlock over who to choose.

The region’s 10 town hall bosses took two hours to wrangle over their preferred candidate this afternoon, with the vote at first split right down the middle.

In the end Mr Lloyd beat the authority’s existing long-standing chair, Wigan council leader Lord Peter Smith, in the straight two-horse race - but only after Trafford council’s leader eventually changed sides in order to break the deadlock.

From next month Mr Lloyd will become the region’s figurehead until 2017, when a fully elected mayor will be introduced.

His position will not carry any new powers, but is designed as a caretaker role to move the devolution programme forward and raise the profile of the ‘super council’ with the public.

His appointment was decided by Greater Manchester’s 10 council leaders at a meeting in Leigh this afternoon.

However the M.E.N. understands the vote could not have been closer - with the town hall chiefs initially split five-all over who to pick.

The region’s eight Labour leaders were completely divided about which of their two veteran colleagues to choose.

Meanwhile Liberal Democrat Stockport leader Sue Derbyshire chose Mr Lloyd and Tory Trafford initially expressed a preference for Lord Smith.

Only when Trafford leader Sean Anstee broke the deadlock by shifting his stance did the situation get resolved.

But one insider said the meeting was good-natured, adding: “The general consensus was that both were good. The line between them was so thin.”

Mr Lloyd will be formally appointed in around months’ time.

He is currently paid £100,000 a year in his role as police commissioner, a position which will be scrapped anyway in 2017 when the fully elected mayor takes over those powers.

His term as commissioner lasts until late next year but he has said he will not pick up two pay packets.

It is unclear what will happen regarding the police commissioner’s role between his current term ending in 2016 and the position being scrapped altogether the year after.

Tony Lloyd said: "This is an exciting and challenging time for Greater Manchester. As we move towards devolution we have to ensure that there is a strong voice making the case to government on Greater Manchester's behalf. I am pleased that I will be that voice, but to be effective my role must carry legitimacy with the people of Greater Manchester.

"The public must be involved as we move forward. Issues like health, community safety and economic development are too important for decisions to be made behind closed doors. The changes we need can only be delivered if the public has bought into them and are included in the debate.

"I want to build on the strong partnerships I have developed as Police and Crime Commissioner with public agencies, local elected politicians, businesses, voluntary and charity groups and - most importantly of all - local people themselves to ensure we speak with one strong, united voice.

"I would like to thank Lord Peter Smith for his service as chair of the combined authority. Peter is not just one of the great council leaders of this land, but he has also guided Greater Manchester to the place where we are now and I look forward to working with him in the coming years."

Figurehead until 2017 - but no further powers

GREATER Manchester’s new figurehead represents a stepping stone towards 2017’s elected mayor - but does not in itself carry any new powers.

But it is the first time the region’s ‘super council’ will have someone at its helm full-time, devoted to raising its profile and that of the region while pushing forward the devolution agenda.

It also aims to make the authority - which is currently not well understood by the public, despite handling millions of pounds in taxpayers’ money - more accountable.

Several aspects of key interest to the public are yet to be finalised, however.

It is unclear where Mr Lloyd will be based or, crucically, how much he will be paid. He has promised not to take two allowances, but the interim mayor’s wage is still to be hammered out by an independent panel in the coming weeks.

It remains to be seen whether any extra staff will be hired to support him.

Meanwhile at the moment the ‘super-council’ has no permanent base, however it is possible Mr Lloyd will continue to operate out of his police commissioner’s office at police headquarters in Newton Heath.