Devolution will bring “more powers, more funding and more opportunities” says council leader

WARRINGTON Borough Council has today (Thursday) submitted its response to the government’s devolution consultation saying it will bring “more powers, more funding and more opportunities.”

Devolution is about the transfer of more powers and funding to local areas, away from London. The council’s response to the consultation shows strong support for the benefits and opportunities of devolution, with an elected Mayor, for Cheshire and Warrington.

Earlier this year, Cheshire and Warrington was approved as one of six areas to make the government’s devolution shortlist of areas, known as the devolution priority programme (DPP).
The consultation is open until Sunday 13 April and is a chance for all people and organisations to have their say about what it could mean for areas like Cheshire and Warrington.
At Monday’s cabinet meeting, the council agreed a positive and ambitious response to the government consultation. In particular, the council’s response demonstrates its support for an elected Mayor across Cheshire and Warrington, as part of securing an agreement for the area.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Hans Mundry, said: “Devolution has the potential to unlock a number of opportunities for Cheshire and Warrington. It’s about bringing better jobs, better transport and smarter investment across our area.
“We expect that devolution will also ensure our area receives more certainty around funding, which makes a significant change to councils like ours having to constantly try and bid for funding for vital infrastructure, which is an ongoing challenge.
“Equally, devolution recognises that decisions about our area are best made locally, not in London. It’s about giving our local area more say in the decisions that affect our communities.
“The best devolution agreements come with an elected Mayor – government has made this clear. The right devolution agreement for our area will mean more investment, better jobs and skills and improved public transport, while connecting local people to more opportunities and services.
“Our response demonstrates our belief that we stand to gain more powers, more funding and more opportunities from devolution.”
You can take part in the government consultation via consult.communities.gov.uk/lggc/cheshire-and-warrington-devolution-consultation. For more about devolution for Cheshire and Warrington, visit cheshireandwarringtondevolution.com

Key points of the council’s response include:

• Overall benefits of devolution: The council believes it will enable more local decision-making, with decisions made by local leaders who understand the area best. It will provide more control, powers, and funding to shape the area’s future, improve transport, invest in skills, create better jobs, and support thriving town centres and rural communities.
• Governance arrangements: The council believes that devolution gives local leaders more opportunity to make decisions about investments/infrastructure across the area. An elected Mayor would amplify Cheshire and Warrington’s voice on the UK and world stage, and would sit on the important Council of Nations and Regions. A devolution agreement would also allow the area to work more effectively alongside other places that have devolution arrangements, like Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Liverpool City Region.
• Economic Support: The council believes it will build on the area’s strong economic foundations, unlocking investment and driving growth in world-leading sectors such as life sciences, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. Key projects like the Warrington Bank Quay development and Northern Powerhouse Rail will create major economic growth hubs. Overall, devolution will support well-connected, affordable transport, good-quality homes, and a skilled workforce, enhancing access to opportunities.
• Improving Social Outcomes: The council believes that devolution will improve access to secure, good-quality housing and critical infrastructure, services, and facilities, which are key social determinants of health. It will improve transport connectivity, create better jobs, and develop infrastructure, supporting healthier and more positive social outcomes.
• Local Government Services: The council states that devolution could drive local government service improvements on an area-wide basis, allowing councils to work together more effectively, while maintaining their day-to-day service delivery responsibilities.
• Local identity: Devolution with an elected Mayor would help to support and enhance the area’s £3.9 billion visitor economy. An elected Mayor would provide national and international attention to Cheshire and Warrington, ensuring that culture, heritage, and tourism are embedded within the area’s agenda.
• Natural environment: Devolution allows for better co-ordination of local energy plans to meet the area’s net zero ambitions, supporting the collective vision to achieve net zero by 2045. Devolution with an elected Mayor will foster collective responsibility for environmental initiatives, sharing ways to reduce flooding and improve water quality across the area. Devolution would also help support the area’s local nature recovery strategy, allowing for a coordinated, area-wide approach to protecting biodiversity, enhancing habitats, and improving the ecological network across Cheshire and Warrington.