PROPOSALS for a Cheshire and Warrington devolution deal will be presented to the Government within two months – but there is uncertainty over whether they will include an elected mayor.

Warrington Borough Council’s (WBC) Labour group voted for the town to team up with Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Cheshire East Council, in a devolution deal – instead of the Liverpool City Region – in January 2017.

Discussions with the Government over a potential devolution deal for Warrington and Cheshire have previously taken place.

Angela Rayner – the deputy Prime Minister and secretary of state for housing, communities, and local government – has pledged to kick-start a new ‘devolution revolution’ to transfer more powers out of Westminster and into the hands of local people.

She has written to local leaders across the country – including Warrington – about the next steps for devolution.

In the letter, the deputy Prime Minister said: “I am delighted to be writing to you with the weight of a new Labour Government behind me, laser focused on pushing power out of Whitehall and lighting the touch paper of growth across our regions.

“In my first correspondence to you, I would like to invite you to partner with this government to deliver the most ambitious programme of devolution this country has ever seen.

“I know you agree that for too long, Westminster has hoarded power and held back towns, cities, and villages across the country from achieving their true potential.

“The minister for local government and my officials stand ready to meet to discuss proposals and to support you, so you are ready to board the train of devolution as we surge along this journey to give every community a voice in the future of Britain.

“I would welcome proposals by the end of September to participate in a first set of devolution settlements.”

WBC chief executive Steven Broomhead says the three councils – WBC, Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Cheshire East Council – are ‘going to pick up the pace’ over discussions on the proposals.

Mr Broomhead said: “The Government wants to have devolution approaches and arrangements across the whole of the country.

Steven Broomhead

“In the past, you had to come forward, present yourself and try and do a deal, but this is now a national policy – there’s a piece of legislation, the Devolution Bill, which will underscore all of that.”

He said there are ‘very good relationships’ between the three councils – and that a meeting is set to be held with Government officials this month, with proposals to be presented to the Government by the end of September.

Mr Broomhead says there have been ‘no decisions’ about an elected mayor for Cheshire and Warrington, with that forming ‘part of the discussions’ now taking place.

He added: “As part of the proposals we are putting to the Government, we will be indicating that we want a full and proper public consultation with residents across Cheshire and Warrington to make sure that people understand the pros and the cons.”

It has previously been reported that, if arrangements are thrashed out, the move would see the Government delegate major powers to the three authorities – and it could deliver funds of at least £30 million a year for a decade, although it may have the potential to secure this amount of cash for close to 25 years.