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The MP for Weaver Vale says Cheshire needs its own devolution deal.

Mike Amesbury MP for Weaver Vale

The Weaver Vale MP is a longstanding advocate of introducing an elected mayor for Cheshire. His constituency lies on the border with Merseyside with part of it inside the devolved Liverpool City Region. As a result certain benefits in areas such as transport deals don't cover the whole constituency, despite the same companies providing for both areas.

Both Liverpool and Manchester both have elected Metro Mayors and Mr. Amesbury who worked on Manchester Metro Mayor Andy Burnham's campaign says there are areas which Cheshire could fall behind on without a devolution deal of its own.

Greater Manchester recieved £300,000,000 for an additional 15,000 houses in the area. 

In a recent debate on the Northern Powerhouse Mr. Amesbury asked Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry about the timetable for a possible devolution deal for Cheshire. 

He said the minister is receptive to the idea.

"This isn't the first time I've raised this matter and I've certainly had constructive discussions with the Northern Powerhouse minister. I know the Local Enterprise Council for Warrinton and Cheshire are marching things forward and indeed the Council leaders in Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East as well as Warrington. So there's a cross-party approach to this, that Cheshire and Warrington should be shaping their own destiny.

Mr Amesbury says a deal could be close at hand.

"I think as long as, not only I but the LEP and the leaders of Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East and Warrington keep pressing the case as well as the busness community then I think we could be somewhat closer to it... Everybody is collectively frustrated because there's a deal which is not far off the shelf which would make a fundamental diference to our economy."
 

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