Issue - meetings

To consider a report which outlines the devolution powers, functions and future investment opportunity for Cheshire and Warrington, to be delivered via a newly created Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority in early 2026, with a duly elected mayor in May 2027, as part of the UK Government’s Devolution Priority Programme.

Ahead of the introduction of the report, a point of clarification was made regarding Appendix C of Item 5. In early 2025 the three Councils (Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East Council and Warrington Borough Council) agreed to amend the Terms of Reference (TOR) to extend the rotation of the current Chair (Cheshire West and Chester) for a further 12 months to May 2026. Therefore, paragraph 5 of Appendix C should have read as follows, and the TOR would be amended ahead of any reports going to Council meetings in September 2025:

5. The Committee shall maintain a two-year rolling Chair and Vice-Chair from the Subscriber Members. The Chair will rotate every two years in the following order: Cheshire West and Chester Council until May 2026, Cheshire East Council until May 2028, Warrington Borough Council until May 2030 and that it then continue in that rotation. The Vice-Chair shall be from Cheshire East Council (until May 2026) and shall then rotate in the same order as the Chair every two years.

Members considered a report which outlined the devolution powers, functions and future investment opportunity for Cheshire and Warrington, which would be delivered via a newly created Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority in early 2026, with an elected mayor in May 2027, as part of the UK Government’s Devolution Priority Programme.

Councillor Louise Gittins noted that the three Leaders of Cheshire West and Chester Council, Cheshire East Council and Warrington Borough Council were committed to ensuring that the area was the healthiest, most sustainable, inclusive and growing economy in the UK by 2045, as a result of the benefits of devolution. It was noted that in addition to the statutory constitution contained within the report, the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority would be able to determine a local constitution which would reflect specific local circumstances, and arrangements would need to be in place to ensure that Cheshire and Warrington would be ready for a “go live” operational date, as early as February 2026.

It was noted that shadow arrangements would be put in place which would operate collaboratively from within the constituent councils in an advisory approach to oversee the implementation programme of establishing the combined authority. Members were updated that the initial phase of the combined authority, which would be mid to late 2026, would be a small core organisation which would include statutory posts and the minimum number of other core posts to ensure that it could deliver demonstratable value from day one.

It was expected that the combined authority would receive £1 million of capacity funding from central government for the first financial year, and confirmation had been received that capacity funding would be available for a further three financial years. Confirmation of a 30-year Mayoral Investment Fund had also been received, which would be split equally between capital and revenue; it was expected that Cheshire and Warrington would recieve £20 million per year, in addition to further funds for transport, skills, economic development, regeneration and housing.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19