Cheshire devolution deal given green light

AS expected Warrington Borough Council’s executive board has approved plans for a devolution deal with Cheshire.

The proposals involve Warrington forming a sub-regional partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Cheshire East Council.

The executive board’s approval enables formal public consultation on the proposed deal and governance arrangements to begin in the summer. A final decision will be made by the full council at its meeting in July 2017.

The devolution proposal caused a split in the Labour group, with some members calling for a deal with Merseyside. Some fear a deal with Cheshire could result in a Tory elected Mayor.

In common with major devolution deals in other parts of the country, it is proposed that the Combined Authority would be chaired by a directly elected Mayor. The Mayor is seen by central government as a vital ingredient to ensure the Combined Authority is accountable for its new powers and supported by visible leadership.

The Mayoral Combined Authority is a formal mechanism which would enable the three Councils to take joint decisions on growth and public service reform. It would formalise existing partnership arrangements and provide a legal mechanism for receiving new powers and responsibilities from central government.

Warrington Borough Council Leader, Cllr Terry O’Neill, said: “Warrington is a growing and vibrant borough and it’s vital that we do everything in our power to maximise this potential. We are in agreement that the model of devolved powers from Whitehall would place us in the strongest position to realise our ambitions. Devolution would support Warrington’s ‘New City’ programme, fuelling investment and growth in the borough.

“As public finances become increasingly challenging, having local decision-making powers over significant areas of national government spend on local services, would be hugely beneficial for Warrington. It would also leave us well placed to play a key role in the proposed ‘Northern Powerhouse’.”

Central Government has been working with various English cities and non-metropolitan areas since 2014, to devolve powers and funding from central government to more local control. Such devolution agreements are only applicable to groupings of neighbouring councils and are not open to individual local authorities.

It is proposed that, subject to the outcome of the governance review, the Mayor would be elected in May 2018.

The Combined Authority would not remove decision making from local authorities and transfer them to the Mayor. Devolution would bring decision-making closer to local residents and would be guided by the three councils working together on a joint programme to support growth and more effective local services.