Devolution will benefit the Cheshire and Warrington region which is currently losing out to the mayoral authorities of Greater Manchester and Liverpool, Cheshire East’s council leader has said.
Cheshire and Warrington is part of the government’s devolution priority programme and a public consultation ended last month.
Cheshire East leader Nick Mannion (Lab) insists the region would benefit from devolution, which would see the establishment of a new combined authority covering Cheshire East, Cheshire West & Chester and Warrington, with an elected mayor.
The three councils would still continue to exist as they are and run their own services.
“Devolution is exactly what it says,” the council leader told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“At the moment, money that is spent in our sub-region is decided upon in Whitehall.
“That money would, under devolution, be decided upon in Cheshire and Warrington.”
He said decision-making, the targeting of funding, the creation of services and their delivery had all improved in areas where devolved authorities existed.
And he pointed to Greater Manchester as the fastest growing region economically in England at the moment.
“You speak to any business leader in Greater Manchester and, at the top of their list, they say it’s because they have a devolved mayoral authority that can make the right decisions and make those decisions quickly, and implement them quickly and effectively,” said Cllr Mannion.
“One of the challenges we’ve got is that, because we’re sat next door to Liverpool and Manchester,.
“When investors come to the North West they see Andy Burnham [Greater Manchester mayor], they see Steve Rotheram [mayor of Liverpool City Region] and they think they’ve done the North West.
“We are missing out.”
He stressed it wasn’t only businesses in the region which would benefit.
“It’s about that economic growth that it will stimulate,” said Cllr Mannion.
“We’ve got to make sure we’ve got a local workforce who are in a position to take advantage of those jobs.
“Cheshire and Warrington have consistently had a little more than 100,000 people who are of working age who are not economically active for the last decade.
“We think we can make a dint in that because we know the best way to provide into work training through skills and knowledge than civil servants can based in Whitehall, and that has been proven in several devolved authorities around the country already.”
He said other benefits would include an improved transport network and a boost for the rural economy.
When asked whether last week’s damning report from the government on the ‘best value’ inspection into Warrington Borough Council would impact on devolution plans, Cllr Mannion told the LDRS: “Whilst obviously Warrington’s situation is one for them to work through, it’s not a problem for the devolved authority. That’s my understanding.”
The Conservatives on Cheshire East have voiced concerns that devolution is moving too quickly and there is not enough detail.
In a separate interview, new Conservative group leader Stewart Gardiner told the LDRS: “There are people [in the Conservative group] who don’t like it and there are people who are supportive, but generally we’re concerned we’re being to ask to sign up to something where we don’t have the details.
“Until we know what we’re saying yes to, we can’t say yes. The people that we represent would be a bit concerned if we just said yes.”
Cllr Mannion replied: “A lot of the ground work has been done through Cheshire & Warrington Enterprise Partnership, through the three authorities working together.”
If devolution does go ahead, voters will be going to the polls in May 2026 to elect the first mayor for the combined authority.
(Story by Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter)
I have not seen any comments from the Enterprise Partnership on the ground work that supposedly has been done. For example in GMC under Andy Burnham a Band D property owner has over £110 per year added to their Council Tax bill for his office costs. Steve Rotherham’s office costs much less for the same Band property.
At least 2 of the 3 Authorities in the new area have financial issues, CEC is in that position.
It looks like we will have a County Mayor in May 2026 without us having a final say of yes or no and no doubt costings will not be immediately available. In 2027 CEC present Councillors will vacate their seats and the election will no doubt, based on current polling results, be a change in leadership and composition. Could this create an even greater disaster than we have now. Watch this space!!