Knowsley Council leader Cllr Graham Morgan has been appointed Deputy Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, with responsibility for the City Region’s housing brief and an added emphasis on strategic planning.
Cabinet changes at Combined Authority meeting
The appointment was announced by Mayor Steve Rotheram during a meeting of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority held today. The changes form part of a wider realignment of Cabinet portfolios following leadership changes in neighbouring boroughs.
Mr Rotheram confirmed the replacement of the former Deputy Mayor, Cllr Mike Wharton, who stepped down after relinquishing the leadership of Halton Borough Council earlier this month. The new Halton council leader, Cllr Angela Ball — the first woman to hold that post — has also joined the City Region Cabinet and will take on the Energy and Environment portfolio.
“Graham has been a brilliant partner since the Combined Authority was created, and I’m delighted to appoint him as Deputy Mayor,”
In addition, the leader of Wirral Council, Paula Basnett, has assumed responsibility for Economic Growth and Regeneration, a portfolio previously overseen by Cllr Wharton. The post now carries representation on the LCR Destination Partnership Board and the LCR Innovation Zone Programme Management Board.
Local and regional implications
For Knowsley residents, the appointment places a borough leader at the heart of decisions on housing policy and strategic planning across the six-borough city region. The Combined Authority’s confirmation of the changes also included the appointment of Halton’s new deputy leader, Cllr Eddie Dourley, as a substitute member for Cllr Ball on the Cabinet.
The Mayor highlighted the significance of a balanced leadership team, noting that the reshuffle results in a Cabinet that is, for the first time, gender balanced — a change he described as reflecting the communities across the Liverpool City Region.
- Deputy Mayor: Cllr Graham Morgan (Knowsley) — Housing and Strategic Planning focus
- Energy & Environment: Cllr Angela Ball (Halton) — Halton’s first woman leader
- Economic Growth & Regeneration: Paula Basnett (Wirral)
The Combined Authority formally approved the adjustments at the meeting, bringing together borough leaders and their deputies to oversee cross-boundary investment and policy priorities.
| Role | Previous holder | New appointee |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Mayor (Housing/Strategic Planning) | Cllr Mike Wharton | Cllr Graham Morgan (Knowsley) |
| Energy & Environment | — | Cllr Angela Ball (Halton) |
| Economic Growth & Regeneration | Cllr Mike Wharton | Paula Basnett (Wirral) |
Residents and stakeholder groups in Knowsley and neighbouring boroughs will be watching how the new alignment influences priorities such as housing delivery, planning frameworks and environmental initiatives across the Liverpool City Region. The presence of the Knowsley leader in the Deputy Mayor role may also affect how borough-level projects are coordinated with region-wide strategies.
Further details of any specific programme changes or policy initiatives under the new portfolio arrangements are expected to emerge in coming weeks as Cabinet members settle into their roles and begin to outline priorities for the remainder of the mayoral term.
