Now approved by all three constituent councils – Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Warrington Borough Council – a new combined authority is set to be established in early 2026, with inaugural mayoral elections taking place in May 2027. As reported earlier this month, the mayoral combined authority is set for a funding boost topping £650 million over 30 years. “Voting arrangements for the precept vary, depending on whether the precept is on mayoral functions, or wider combined authority functions: (a) Mayors will continue to be subject to voting rules set out in previous legislation on precepts raised against mayoral functions. “(b) A mayor wanting to raise a precept on wider combined authority functions would be subject to the standard voting arrangements of a simple majority including the mayor. Other combined authorities such as the Tees Valley Combined Authority have chosen not to levy a precept to date.”