Mayors across England have called on the Government to hand them control of hundreds of millions of pounds currently spent by the European Union.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street joined forces with six other mayors to demand the Government devolve control of a new "Shared Prosperity Fund", which will replace the £2.4 billion provided by the EU to promote economic growth.

The area served by the West Midlands Mayor is to receive £550 million in EU funding from 2014 and 2020.

If the Government agreed to devolve the money, it could mean the mayor and the West Midlands Combined Authority received a similar amount to spend on creating jobs in the region after Brexit.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street.

Mr Street said: "In the West Midlands, between 2014 and 2020 we will receive £550m in EU structural funds. The Government has rightly committed to replacing this with the UK Prosperity Fund.

"However, I strongly believe that the West Midlands Combined Authority is the best mechanism to use to get the best value from this investment and am joining my Mayoral colleagues around the country in continuing to lobby for this."

Cash is currently provided from the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund, which are known as structural funds. The UK contributes more to this funding than it receives.

The Government has said that funding currently spent in UK regions will continue after Brexit, through a new Shared Prosperity Fund.

Seven mayors have signed a joint statement insisting: "This fund should be devolved to regions rather than languish in Whitehall amidst red tape and bureaucracy."

They said: "Brexit makes it essential that directly-elected regional leaders take back control of funding from central government, ensuring devolution continues to both serve and empower communities."

Those signing the letter include Tim Bowles, Mayor of the West of England; Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester; Ben Houchen, Tees Valley; Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region; James Palmer, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire; Dan Jarvis, Sheffield City Region, and Mr Street.