Devolution delay proposed by Labour and Cheshire authorities

Warrington Borough Council, Cheshire East Council, and Cheshire West & Chester Council have written to the Government asking for the first election of the new Cheshire & Warrington Mayor to be delayed from May 2026 to May 2027.

It’s vital the new Combined Authority is properly planned and prepared before electing a mayor with significant powers and funding responsibilities. No one wants to see this rushed and end up with a mayoralty that fails to deliver for residents.

However, delaying the election by a full year raises serious questions about the real motives behind this request. Councils argue the delay will increase turnout by combining with local elections, but that simply doesn’t hold true for all areas. For example, Warrington’s next scheduled local elections are in 2028, so a 2027 mayoral election here would still be a standalone contest.

While it’s true Cheshire East and Cheshire West & Chester both have full council elections scheduled for May 2027, Warrington residents would be asked to wait an extra year for no clear benefit. That undermines the claimed turnout and cost advantages, and risks disenfranchising part of our region.

As a councillor for Lymm South – and as someone seriously considering seeking the Liberal Democrat mayoral nomination – I will be pressing for answers. Residents across Cheshire and Warrington should have confidence that this new role is being set up in their interests, with genuine accountability and no backroom manoeuvring.

Cllr Mark Browne, Liberal Democrat Group Leader on Warrington Borough Council, adds:

As a member of the Devolution Committee, I was shocked to discover this proposed delay through a media release rather than through proper consultation. I suspect the same applies to many Labour members. That’s not just poor communication – it’s a failure of transparency and process.

The lack of open debate is troubling. This is a major decision affecting democratic timelines, public funding, and the credibility of our devolution plans.

We also need urgent clarification about funding. My understanding was that the mayoral election costs would be met by central government. Has that changed? If so, will costs be shared fairly across the region – or will Warrington, which has no scheduled elections in 2027, be asked to shoulder the full expense of a stand-alone vote?

More worryingly, does this delay mean that vital infrastructure and regeneration funding – due to be accessible from June 2026 – will now be out of reach for another year? If so, the people of Cheshire and Warrington could pay a real price for this decision.

If turnout alignment really is the goal, we should use this as an opportunity to reform local democracy in Warrington by returning to elections by thirds – giving residents more regular chances to shape their council and naturally syncing elections with a future mayoral vote.

And if we want real legitimacy and broad support, the mayoral election itself should be run using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system rather than first-past-the-post, ensuring that the winning candidate has genuine majority backing across our diverse region.

The public deserves full transparency on why this delay is being proposed and solid evidence that it serves residents, not political convenience.