Opposition criticises mayoral election delay

A new combined authority is set to cover the three council areas

Opposition councillors in Cheshire have criticised the lack of transparency over a decision to delay the county's first mayoral election by a year.

The government agreed to a request from the Labour leaders of the three Cheshire councils of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, and Warrington Council, to push back the contest from 2026 to 2027.

Liberal Democrat councillor Graham Gowland on Warrington Council said it was "unacceptable" the decision had been made "behind closed doors", and feared it could lead to the loss of a year's worth of devolution funding.

A government spokesperson said the decision would not affect the creation of a new combined authority.

Councillor Graham Gowland said he had "serious questions" about the decision

The ministry of housing, communities and local government spokesperson said leaders of the councils had requested the delay to "simplify the elections process for voters and save taxpayers' money".

The Conservative opposition on both Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester councils had first called for the delay and welcomed the move.

Gowland said there had been "no consultation with elected councillors, no engagement with opposition groups, and no public transparency" on the decision.

The county will choose its first mayor to head a new combined authority consisting of the three councils, which is set to come into being at the beginning of 2026.

Gowland said the delay to 2027 aligned with local elections in two areas of Cheshire, but Warrington's next local elections were not until 2028.

He said: "More concerning is the possibility that we now lose a full year of access to devolution funding—money that could be invested in vital transport, infrastructure and skills projects starting from June 2026.

"Residents should not pay the price for a politically convenient delay."