Devolution for Cheshire and Warrington

Frequently asked questions

What is devolution?

Devolution is about central government transferring powers and funding away from London and into regions.

It’s not about merging councils or taking decisions away from councils. Individual councils will retain most of their responsibilities and continue to provide services for local people. Government has made it clear that devolution is a priority.

We have worked together with our constituent councils - Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Warrington Borough Council - to make a positive case for devolution for Cheshire and Warrington to ensure we’re ready to progress and secure the benefits as soon as possible.

What are the benefits?

We’re ambitious for our area and believe devolution will bring power and investment that will benefit all parts of Cheshire and Warrington.

It will enable us to make decisions on investing in the things that are important to our residents, communities, and businesses, rather than decisions about our area and its almost one million residents being made in London. 

We’re a successful area but we also face pressure in areas such as transport, skills, and housing. We need affordable and convenient transport for residents in our rural areas and our towns, large and small, affordable homes in the right places, close to employment and services, and a workforce with the skills our businesses need now and in the future. 

Devolution will help us meet some of these challenges. We know our area best, and it will allow us to directly address issues that affect our residents and communities, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach from London. 

People don’t live their lives according to council boundaries – they live, work, learn and spend time in different places – so a regional approach to improving things like skills shortages, housing, and transport makes sense. 

Devolution will give our area greater control over how we are governed and resourced. Working with the three constituent council leaders, a regional Mayor will aim to promote more strategic and joined-up planning.

What will the new Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority do?

The new Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority will be made up of representatives from the three constituent councils and it will be chaired by an elected Mayor. It will further increase collaboration between councils over issues like transport and housing, that require joined-up planning across council boundaries.

The new Combined Authority will make decisions and investments that benefit people living and working in Cheshire and Warrington.

Do we need to have an elected Mayor?

Put simply, the best agreements come with a Mayor. The government White Paper makes it clear that if we want more powers and investment then we need to elect a Mayor.

The rationale behind having an elected Mayor is that it will provide clearer lines of accountability and transparency for the public to engage with policy decisions made in their local area.

In this sense, a Mayor has the potential to demonstrate strong leadership and promote an ambitious vision for the area. They will also represent Cheshire and Warrington on a national and international platform, with a seat at the table at the Council of Nations and Regions.

Cheshire and Warrington residents will vote to elect the area's first Mayor in May 2027.

What is the timetable?

We are part of the government's Devolution Priority Programme (DPP) and are working towards setting up the new Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority in early 2026, with a Mayor to be elected in May 2027. The three constituent councils have now voted to progress with a devolution agreement.

Prior to these decisions, views were sought from our residents, communities, and businesses on how devolution could benefit Cheshire and Warrington. The government also carried out a statutory consultation on devolution, which ended on 13 April 2025.

The government has confirmed that Cheshire and Warrington has passed the statutory tests to progress with devolution.

When can we expect to see a difference?

Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority will grow over time. We won't see big changes overnight, but a devolution agreement unlocks the potential for much greater funding and powers across a number of key areas.

A lot of the priorities of a Combined Authority are longer-term, to do with things like transport, skills, and the environment.

Devolution is a process, and we will not have the powers that our neighbours in Greater Manchester and Liverpool City Region have on day one. However, it will allow us to make improvements in the short and medium term across Cheshire and Warrington, giving us more say and more powers on the local issues that matter most to our communities.

We are ambitious to move to the same powers and types of investment as Liverpool and Manchester as soon as possible. 

How much funding will this bring and how much will it cost?

Government has confirmed its Mayoral Investment Fund allocations for the areas on the Devolution Priority Programme (DPP). Importantly, it has confirmed that Cheshire and Warrington will receive £21.7 million per annum over the next 30 years.

The first instalment in 2026-27 will be £10.85 million, in advance of inaugural Mayoral elections in May 2027. This will take our area’s overall allocation to more than £650 million in funding over the 30-year period. This funding is split 50% for capital investment and 50% revenue funding.

Alongside confirmation of the Mayoral Investment Fund, further instalments of the Mayoral Capacity Grant have also been confirmed, with a grant of £1 million to be released in 2025-26 to cover the local costs of creating the new Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority.

It has now also been confirmed that a minimum of an additional £3 million will be made available over the following three years. This brings the total Mayoral Capacity Funding to a minimum of £4 million between 2025-26 and 2028-29, to cover the costs of establishing, mobilising, and operating the new authority, as well as reflecting the ongoing transfer of funds and functions from the government to the Combined Authority over the first few years.

The confirmed funding only represents the base funding for the Combined Authority and its investment programme. It is expected that additional funds will be received as the Combined Authority’s functions increase, including investment for transport, skills, and housing.

Read more about the funding confirmation.

Will devolution effectively mean a merger of the three councils?

No – importantly, devolution is largely about drawing down additional powers and funding from government.

It is not a merger of the three individual councils, or a return to the previous Cheshire County Council. Each council – Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Warrington Borough Council – will remain and be responsible for providing important day-to-day services and setting/managing their own budgets.

Will this take power away from local councils?

The majority of day-to-day council services will remain the responsibility of the three councils, but there will be opportunities for the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority to support more joined-up work in some areas such as transport.

The new Combined Authority will receive additional powers and functions from government to facilitate collaboration and joined up working between the three councils in the area.

The three councils will still be responsible for public service delivery in their relevant constituencies, and the new Combined Authority will be responsible for setting the strategy for Cheshire and Warrington and delivering on these plans.

The constituent members of the Combined Authority will be the elected Mayor and six constituent members, comprised of two councillors from each of the three councils, who will all have a single vote.

Why now for devolution?

Devolution is a government priority, and we want to make sure that Cheshire and Warrington is at the front of the queue so that we can secure the benefits of a devolution agreement as soon as possible.

We want powers to be transferred from London to our area at the earliest opportunity, giving us better local control of transport, skills, growth, the environment, and more.

Much of our area is very rural, will the funds benefit these areas?

We’re ambitious for Cheshire and Warrington as a whole, and we believe devolution will bring power and investment that will benefit all parts of our area. 

We need affordable and convenient transport for residents in rural areas and towns, large and small affordable homes in the right places that are accessible for employment and services, and a workforce with the skills our businesses need. 

Cheshire and Warrington council leaders have declared that “no one will be left behind” and that “the benefits of devolution will be felt by communities across the whole area”.

What will this mean for transport?

One of the powers the new Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority will have is developing a Local Transport Plan.

This will be developed with the councils and set out how we work together to achieve an accessible, well-connected, sustainable transport network that works for all residents and communities across Cheshire and Warrington.

What are other Combined Authorities doing?

These are just some examples of what other combined authorities are achieving:
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Greater Manchester Combined Authority has set up the Bee Network, a new public transport system, which includes over 250 affordable bus and tram services, alongside a cycle hire scheme.
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Liverpool City Region has invested £105 million to retrofit thousands of homes across the region, improving energy efficiency and helping residents save money on their bills.

West Midlands Combined Authority made a £295 million investment to extend the West Midlands metro, plus £113 million invested in Coventry city centre regeneration.

In York and North Yorkshire, £27 million has been invested to support businesses, reduce emissions, and boost adult vocational training courses.

How was moving forward with devolution decided?

The formal process to progress devolution for Cheshire and Warrington has now been completed.

Each constituent council – Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Warrington Borough Council – held formal meetings in September 2025 where all three constituent councils voted to progress with a devolution agreement for the area.

‍With all three councils in agreement, formal consent has been confirmed with the Secretary of State, which enables the government to move forward with legislation to formally establish the new Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority.

Once established – potentially as early as February 2026 – the new Combined Authority will have greater control over key areas such as transport, housing, skills, and economic growth, while unlocking access to significant new funding and investment opportunities.

And, in May 2027, residents will have the important decision of electing Cheshire and Warrington’s first Mayor.

What if one council had voted not to progress with devolution?

If one council had voted not to progress with devolution for Cheshire and Warrington, the process would have stopped as all three constituent councils needed to be in agreement.

How will this affect each councils' finances, budget position, and debt level?

Each constituent council remains responsible for setting and managing its own budget.

These budget setting processes and subsequent management and scrutiny will not be affected by the creation of the new Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority. Each council will also remain responsible for their own debt level and will not be affected by another council’s debt.

The new Combined Authority will be responsible for its own finances with the funding it receives from government.

What if we don't do it now?

Devolution is a government priority, and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill seeks to create a consistent approach to devolution structures across the country – and as far as possible give increased consistency to new and existing governance arrangements.

It also enables government to establish new combined authorities, or expand existing authorities, without the consent of local areas.

It’s not now or never, it’s now or later – now means we’ll feel a bigger benefit, sooner. Delaying would have meant that we have less control over what devolution will look like for our area.

Will the new Combined Authority charge a Mayoral precept?

An elected Mayor will have the power to add a charge, or precept, onto council tax bills to help pay for the Mayor’s work. This must be to fund a specific programme of work.

When the Mayor proposes a precept as part of their draft budget, the other Combined Authority members can propose amendments, including on the amount of precept.

Disclaimer: Video first published in April 2025 when all information included was correct. Please note, some information may have changed.

Devolution offers exciting opportunities

What does devolution mean for us?

Frequently asked questions

Find additional information about devolution on the Local Government Association website
‍

Devolution offers exciting opportunities

What does devolution mean for us?

Frequently asked questions

Find additional information about devolution on the Local Government Association website‍

Find additional information about devolution on the Local Government Association website
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