Final Cheshire council to vote on devolution

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

Cheshire East Council is set to become the final council in the county to put a vote, on moving forward with devolution, to its full council.

Cheshire West and Chester, and Warrington councils have already asked their elected members to vote on devolution.

Councillors will be asked to approve, in principle, setting up a Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority.

They are also being asked to give permission for the authority's chief executive to take the steps necessary for devolution.

All three councils are putting the devolution vote to their full council meetings

Cheshire West and Chester Council's full council signed off plans on 9 September at a meeting which saw a mass walkout by opposition councillors.

Warrington Council put the vote to its full council earlier this week and it will receive final sign-off from its cabinet on Monday.

If final sign-off is given by all three councils, the government would then need to lay orders in Parliament to set up the combined authority, which is expected to come into force early in 2026.