INDEPENDENT Cllr. Neil Johnson has called on Warrington Borough Council to release all documents relating to their assessments of the various devolution options into the public domain.
Cllr.Johnson believes that there should be full transparency over the proposals and an opportunity for the public to assess, digest and comment upon the options.
He is not convinced that the Labour Group’s insistence on a Cheshire devolution deal is right for the town and says that the Council hold documents and analyses which show that other devolution arrangements would be more financially beneficial.
Cllr. Johnson said:”In 2016, the Council established a ‘task and finish group’ made up of Councillors from different parties to explore the various devolution arrangements. They were tasked with looking at the merits of a Cheshire deal, a Merseyside deal, a Greater Manchester deal, and even the benefits of no deal at all.
“It was widely reported that the information collected and presented by Council officers concluded that a devolution agreement with Merseyside would be the best thing financially for Warrington. The Council’s own assessment also showed that we have more links with Merseyside than either Cheshire or Greater Manchester, due to the number of people who travel there for work.
“Now Labour are pushing full steam ahead with a Cheshire deal in contravention of their own Council’s evidence. I have written to Chief Executive Steve Park to ask for copies of all documents presented to the task and finish group and the conclusions reached. This should also be disclosed publicly. Residents have a right to scrutinise these documents so that they are in full possession of the facts, rather than hearing about the benefits of certain deals from people who are pursuing their own agendas.
“Releasing these documents would offer transparency and clarity. There is nothing untoward about showing people the evidence upon which a decision has been based. If the Council’s own assessments show that Cheshire does not offer the best deal for Warrington, then we should be told as much. I believe the people of our town should be in full possession of all the facts so they can give their considered views about the devolution plans. If there is nothing to hide, then there should be no problem in providing the public with the same information that was given to Councillors on the task and finish group.”
When challenged over lack of scruitiny on develoution previously, Warrington Borough Council Leader Cllr. Hans Mundry said: “Cheshire and Warrington seeking a devolution agreement has been several years in the making. We believe that devolution for our area will mean more transport improvements, more jobs, more skills and training, and a region that is better connected. We expect that Cheshire and Warrington would receive around £600 million, over 30 years, in order to deliver on this vision.
“It is the government’s commitment to ensure devolution happens across the country. Securing a devolution agreement now means we would be at the front of the queue, ready to reap the benefits of devolution as soon as possible, with more say and control over the process.
“Importantly though, some devolution benefits will take time. If you look at Greater Manchester Combined Authority for example, which was established more than seven years ago, it is only recently that groundbreaking schemes like the Bee Network have been rolled out. We are therefore voting to secure a devolution as a first step, to take forward longer-term, transformative schemes.
“A devolution agreement for Cheshire and Warrington would fundamentally not mean a merger of the councils, with each council being an equal partner, working alongside an elected Mayor from May 2027.
“I look forward to discussing devolution at length at our Full Council meeting later this month, where all elected members will have the opportunity to discuss and debate devolution in detail.”
