WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols says she will push for an elected Mayor to use new cash powers to help keep Woolston Hub open.
Her statement follows a Government announcement of £21 million per year of community investment as part of a Warrington & Cheshire Combined Authority..
New mayoral authorities will be set up across the country, including a Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority. These mayors will be elected by the people of Warrington and the wider Cheshire region in May 2027, being directly accountable. They will have devolved powers and will be responsible for investing the money.
The mayors will be able to spend the money on a wide range of local priorities, such as boosting local housebuilding schemes, transforming high streets, or funding skills programmes.
The cash won’t be ringfenced, so local areas can choose how they want to invest this money in local priorities, for example, to keep the Woolston Neighbourhood Hub open.
Warrington Borough Council recently passed a motion in support of the Hub, keeping all options open. However, money will still be needed, and mayoral cash could be crucial.
The Woolston Hub has been closed since July, initially due to a legionella issue in the water supply, followed by other structural problems, which the council say will cost £3m to bring the facility back into full use.
Ms Nichols MP said: “Great news that the whole of Warrington is getting the much-needed investment we deserve. The new mayor could use this cash to help save the Woolston Hub and rejuvenate parts of our town that need it.
“Other pots of money that people have talked about are ringfenced for certain areas, or single projects. However, this money can be spent flexibly on any of our local priorities.
“Having a directly elected mayor with powers which can make a real difference locally will bring decision making to local people, and away from Westminster.
“I will be pushing the mayor to use new cash to save the Woolston Neighbourhood Hub, and fund other much needed projects across our town.”
The new mayors are part of a simplification of local government, aimed at reducing the number of councils, by merging district and county authorities to create unitary authorities.
