A public consultation has started on proposals for a devolution deal for Cheshire and Warrington, writes Belinda Ryan.
The government announced earlier this month the Cheshire and Warrington region had been confirmed as part of its devolution priority programme.
It means if devolution goes ahead, residents could be electing a Cheshire and Warrington mayor in May of next year.
The consultation, which runs until April 13 2025, details what devolution is, the functions and funding of the new proposed combined authority, how the decision-making process would work for the new authority and includes other information such as what funding and powers would be available.
It also includes seven consultation questions, seeking views on whether members of the public agree or disagree with the proposals and asking people to explain their answers.
The consultation document outlines how devolution could impact Cheshire and Warrington.
It highlights seven areas where a mayoral combined authority across the proposed geography could have impact.
It says these are:
Transport: New transport powers, including through the mayoral combined authority becoming the local transport authority, could make it easier for people to commute and travel around Cheshire and Warrington.
Skills: The skills powers and funding available could allow the mayoral combined authority to tailor the training and support for adults in the area to the types of jobs available locally and to local priorities.
Housing: The funding and powers available to deliver new housing across the mayoral combined authority geography could help address issues around housing affordability.
Economic development: The mayoral combined authority would play a key role in attracting investment into Cheshire and Warrington and supporting business growth.
This could be particularly beneficial to key industrial sectors, including automotive, energy and life sciences, that are central to the fortunes of towns such as Ellesmere Port, Crewe and Macclesfield, and could support new businesses to grow and succeed.
Environment and climate change: A strong role for the mayoral combined authority, such as playing a leading role in local nature recovery strategies, could help maximise the benefits from Cheshire and Warrington’s natural environment.
Health, wellbeing and public service reform: The mayoral combined authority could play a key role in improving health and wellbeing, underpinned by a new bespoke duty in relation to health improvement and health inequalities.
This would mean that the mayoral combined authority would need to have regard to the need to improve health, and reduce health inequalities, in the exercise of its functions.
Representation: The mayor would take a seat at the Prime Minister’s Council of Nations and Regions as well as the Deputy Prime Minister’s Mayoral Council, which would give the area a stronger voice with the government. Cheshire and Warrington is currently one of only three areas in the North of England not currently represented.
The consultation is available on the government website here https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/cheshire-and-warrington-devolution/cheshire-and-warrington-devolution-consultation
It was recently reported that a CEC senior officer advised committee that Mayoral elections could cost in the region of £1million pounds.
One is tempted to say that nothing could be worse than the institutionalised incompetence of Cheshire East, however the remoteness of the new proposed administration from a town of the character of Nantwich is a concern with levelling up agendas scarcely helpful to the situation we have here. It will be ever more important to have an energetic Town Council representing our voice; but will it be heard or listened to?
Based on Andy Burnhams GMC it could cost a Band D property a precept of about £100 per property excluding set up costs.
The move from the previous District Councils to Cheshire East has not gone well with failings in many areas. This proposal will probably make matters worse. Remote management with little opportunity for local input. This is just going back to the old County Council system but with no District Councils. A recipe for disaster as far as the residents are concerned but who cares about the residents. Collateral damage.