Powering the Region: Combined Authority Officially Unveiled

There was a definite sense at Alderley Park on Friday that Cheshire and Warrington’s new combined authority is still in its early days — and not just because our name badges looked as if they’d been written in a hurry.

This was the authority’s launch conference, held at The Apiary, Alderley Park, bringing together more than 200 delegates from business, government, education, public services and community organisations to talk about what comes next for the region.

Hosted by broadcaster Louise Minchin, the event was designed to showcase Cheshire and Warrington’s strengths and help shape the priorities of the new authority ahead of the first mayoral elections in 2027.

For MIX56, it also felt as though we were slightly unexpected guests.

We were the only local radio station there, which seemed to catch a few people by surprise. There were one or two slightly awkward moments for us at the start — a double take here, a hastily sorted badge there, and a cheerful gosh, there are three of you from one person as the radio mics came out.

There was no quick chat with Louise Minchin, lovely as she was, and for a moment it did leave the impression that this was a fairly guarded occasion.

Then again, first impressions are not always the full story.

Because once the day got going, everybody we met was warm, open and more than happy to talk.

There were signs that the organisation is still finding its feet and perhaps is not yet fully used to local media turning up in force. But cold? No. That would be unfair. If anything, the mood felt more cautious than closed — a bit like the early stages of dating, when everyone is still working out the right tone.

And in truth, that rather suited the theme of the day.

The Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority is a new body bringing together Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Warrington Borough Council – but it is not replacing them.

Each council will still deliver everyday local services, while the combined authority focuses on the bigger strategic issues that are meant to shape the region’s future, including transport, skills, housing, investment and economic growth.legislation.gov+2

That was one of the clearest messages from Louise Gittins, chair of the Combined Authority, who described the launch as a chance to explain what the authority is about and what it wants to achieve for the region.

She said Cheshire and Warrington had been waiting a long time for devolution, and that the shift should mean more important decisions being made closer to home rather than in London. She also stressed that this is not some sort of super council, but a strategic authority focused on the big-ticket issues that affect local life and long-term prosperity.

If there was one subject that kept surfacing throughout the day, it was transport.

That is no great mystery. Anyone who has tried to get across Cheshire by public transport will know exactly why it matters.

In one interview, interim chief executive Nick Walkley said the region already has strong connections around its edges, but needs to better connect the heart of Cheshire if it is going to open up more opportunities, particularly for younger people. Louise Gittins went further, describing transport as something that could be a “game-changer” as the new authority develops its plans.

Business voices were making much the same point.

Stephen Fitzsimons, chief executive of Warrington Chamber of Commerce, said businesses want to hear a clear economic plan for Cheshire and Warrington and see real progress as the area moves towards its first elected mayor.

He said transport remains one of the biggest issues, especially when it comes to moving around the county, and argued that making travel easier would support both economic growth and inclusion.

His view was that Cheshire and Warrington is already one of the stronger economies in the country, but that better connections could make it stronger still

There was also a strong focus on investment.

Louise Gittins said the authority is working with a mayoral investment fund and pointed to early priority areas including Warrington Bank Quay, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, support for small businesses and a pot of funding aimed at helping communities celebrate what is already good about Cheshire and Warrington.

The broader devolution deal gives the authority powers over areas such as transport, skills and investment, with the first elected mayor due in May 2027. For residents, that may sound fairly technical, but the real test will be simple enough: does any of this make life feel more connected, more joined-up and more ambitious legislation.

That is the question now hanging over this new authority as it moves from launch event to real-world delivery.

Friday had the right themes, the right language and, in many ways, the right people in the room. It also had that unmistakable feeling of something just beginning — still a little formal, still slightly guarded in places, but slowly finding its confidence.

Cheshire and Warrington now has a new structure, a new pitch and, before long, it will have a mayor too.

For the people watching from outside the conference hall, the real interest will not be in the branding or the buzzwords. It will be in what changes, who benefits, and whether this new chapter really does bring Cheshire and Warrington closer together.

• Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority Website