Council leader and deputy quit after election loss

The leader of Halton Borough Council and his deputy are standing down, two months after Labour suffered heavy losses in the local elections.

Mike Wharton and Dave Thompson will both continue as ward councillors on the local authority.

But Wharton, who has led the council since 2021, will also stand down as deputy mayor of the Liverpool City Region.

He said it was the "right time" to step back, adding that a new leader for Halton would bring "stability and continuity for the years ahead while also bringing fresh ideas and renewed energy".

Reform UK's Jonathan Mackie, leader of the council's main opposition group, said: "These resignations mark the beginning of the end of an era of Labour failure.

"Changing the names at the top won't change the culture that created these problems."

Reform won 16 of the 19 seats up for grabs in May.

Labour won a by-election in Widnes last week, and are still the largest party, but Reform will doubtless have more seats in their sights next May.

The council said that during their time as leader and deputy leader respectively, Wharton and Thompson had "overseen a number of significant initiatives" including the opening of the Mersey Gateway Bridge, major town centre improvements including the £23.6m Reconnecting Runcorn Programme, the opening of the state-of-the-art Halton Leisure Centre and the enhancement of The Brindley theatre.

Wharton said: "In recent weeks, as I have reflected on the opportunities that lie ahead for the borough and the important decisions the council will need to take, it's become increasingly clear to me that stepping aside is the right thing for me, my family and for the council.

"Halton has a really bright future, and that's why I believe this is the right time for someone new, supported by the executive board, to lead the borough into its next chapter.

"A new leader will provide stability and continuity for the years ahead, while also bringing fresh ideas and renewed energy, and giving them the opportunity to fully shape the decisions, priorities and ambitions that will define Halton's future."

Halton Borough Council has suffered financial difficulties recently, and last year received a £35m government bailout.

Wharton was appointed deputy metro mayor of the Liverpool City Region by Steve Rotheram in 2024.

Rotheram, who praised Wharton for having been a "brilliant ambassador" for the region, said he would appoint a new deputy in the coming weeks.

The process to appoint a new leader and deputy leader of Halton Borough Council will now begin.

Labour councillors will select a new group leader, and it is likely that he or she will become the next leader at a full council meeting on 8 July.

Mackie said: "It doesn't matter who Labour appoint as their next leader. Every Labour councillor stood behind the decisions that brought Halton to this point.

"Replacing one Labour leader with another won't fix years of mismanagement. It's like replacing the driver who crashed the car with someone who helped plan the journey."

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