Mike Wharton is a British Labour Party politician, currently serving as the leader of Halton Borough Council and deputy mayor of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
he won re-election for his ward in 2024[3] In 2023 Wharton hit out at the Conservative UK Government after Halton Borough Council was forced to close a number of supporting services for children in Halton due to a lack of funding, Wharton was on record in the council meeting saying that the funding of local authorities was not a priority for the government, Wharton further went on to blame the disorder and turmoil in Downing Street and the governments record for helping councils as the reasons for this decision.
[4] As leader of Halton Borough Council, Wharton also serves on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority cabinet.
[5] In 2024, the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, announced that Wharton would become deputy mayor of the city region,[6][7] taking over from David Baines, the leader of St Helens Borough Council, who was elected to Parliament in the 2024 General Election and stepped down from his local government roles.
Wharton also assisted with the creation and selection of members for the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Business and Enterprise Board which in 2023 absorbed the powers and role of Liverpool City Region Local enterprise partnership and was made a part of the combined authority.