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Cheshire and Warrington given green light for devolution

Kaleigh Watterson
BBC Cheshire political reporter•kaleighnews
BBC/Getty Images The Eastgate Clock in Chester, the golden gates of Warrington and Jodrell Bank in Cheshire EastBBC/Getty Images
The three Cheshire councils are looking to have a combined authority with a mayor

Plans for Cheshire and Warrington to get more powers from the government are moving forward, after the three councils were given the go-ahead to move forward with a devolution deal.

The area has been included in the government's devolution priority programme (DPP), which local leaders previously said would bring "significant power and funding" to the county.

The area's three councils had asked the government for a devolution deal which would include electing its first mayor in May 2026.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said Cheshire and Warrington would be one of six areas joining the DPP.

Rayner said that since the launch of the devolution white paper last year, she had been "overwhelmed by the excitement from communities wanting to join the devolution revolution".

"We're undergoing a generational shift from Whitehall to the Town Hall," she said.

Leaders in Cheshire said this was "good news" for residents, communities and businesses.

'Seize this opportunity'

They added: "Cheshire and Warrington being part of the priority programme shows that government is confident in Cheshire and Warrington's ability to seize the opportunities that a devolution agreement could bring.

"It puts us at the front of the queue for significant power and funding and we want to seize this opportunity.

"Devolution would allow us to make more decisions here in Cheshire and Warrington, rather than decisions about our region and its almost one million residents being made in London."

Council leaders previously said a devolution deal would benefit residents, communities and businesses in Cheshire and Warrington.

Some areas of the country have been given permission to postpone elections while devolution talks take place, but there are no elections taking place in Cheshire this year.

Left to right: Hans Mundry (leader, Warrington Borough Council), Jean Flaherty (deputy leader, Warrington Borough Council), Karen Shore (deputy leader Cheshire West and Chester Council), Louise Gittins (leader, Cheshire West and Chester Council), Nick Mannion (leader, Cheshire East Council) and Michael Gorman (deputy, leader Cheshire East Council)
The leaders and deputy leaders of the three councils have already set up a joint committee for the area

Devolution has been discussed for the county for several years.

In 2015, the three councils drew up a bid but it was rejected a year later by councillors in Warrington - as there had been a split over whether to join the Liverpool City Region or work with Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester councils.

Warrington agreed to join a deal in 2017, but although discussions with the government took place, no agreement was made.

After the general election last year, the councils began talks with the government about devolution and last month, the three authorities formally submitted a request to be considered for the devolution priority programme.

Last week, leaders said any combined authority would be called Cheshire and Warrington, after some calls for it to just feature the county name.

The councils will now work with the government to confirm their deal and what powers they will take on, ahead of the first mayoral elections which are expected to take place on 7 May 2026.

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