Tories Demand Pause on Proposed Changes: What’s at Stake?

The leaders of the Conservative opposition groups on two councils in Cheshire have sent a letter to the government urging a postponement of the devolution proposals for the county by one year.

The trio of councils in the area has requested a devolution arrangement from the government that would involve an elected mayor.

The council heads for Cheshire East, Cheshire West & Chester, and Warrington, aim to select the inaugural mayor in May 2026.

However, the Conservative representatives have declared that this timeline is premature and have reached out to the government to express their apprehensions, expressing worries that the plans may not be feasible at this juncture.

In a statement, Janet Clowes, the leader of the Cheshire East Conservative group, and Adrian Waddelove, the leader of Cheshire West, conveyed their support for the concept “in principle”.

Nevertheless, they articulated “serious doubts that our councils possess both the operational capability and the financial viability to implement an effective devolution strategy in time for the 2026 mayoral elections”.

They further noted that a 12-month postponement “provides a more feasible timeframe” to “ensure the task is completed effectively and, most crucially, to return to financial stability”.

Labour leaders emphasized the significance of participating in discussions with the government.

In their statement, they remarked that “engagement in the government’s priority program would position us at the forefront for the possible advantages of devolution”.