Mark Smith

Reform UK won 16 of 19 contested seats in Halton, leaving the party potentially one strong election result away from taking control of the council from Labour. Group leader Jonathan Mackie said a Reform administration would scrutinise every budget line, use technology and productivity reviews to reduce costs, reconsider expensive out-of-borough care placements and examine SEND transport arrangements, while protecting the most vulnerable residents. Labour defended its financial improvement plan and attributed the council’s financial pressures to years of Conservative austerity, while rejecting comparisons between running a council and a private business. Mackie also outlined positions on housing allocation, environmental maintenance, Pride and refugee events, and said he would lead the council alongside his existing career if Reform gained control.

Margaret Ratcliffe, a veteran Liberal Democrat councillor for Halton’s Beechwood & Heath Ward and former borough mayor, has died. Colleagues and community groups praised her decades of public service, commitment to local issues such as Heath Park Lake, and support for schools and the 4th Runcorn Scout Group. Halton Council leader Angela Ball and former Labour councillor Norman Plumpton-Walsh described her as compassionate, respectful and widely respected across party lines.

A former DIY store in Widnes that closed last year may be converted into a Pepe’s Piri Piri restaurant under a new planning application submitted to Halton Borough Council. Plans include a redesigned shopfront, new signage, an extraction canopy, seating for 34 customers and facilities for delivery drivers. The long‑standing Manby’s store, regarded fondly by shoppers, had been a staple of the high street for decades before shutting in January. The proposal marks a significant redevelopment of the site as part of changing commercial activity in the area.