West Midlands Combined Authority | |
---|---|
Type | |
Type | |
Houses | Unicameral |
Term limits | None |
History | |
Founded | 17 June 2016 |
Preceded by | West Midlands County Council |
Leadership | |
Laura Shoaf since 10 November 2021 [1] | |
Structure | |
Seats | Mayor + 7 Council Leaders |
Political groups |
|
Elections | |
Direct election First past the post (FPTP) | |
Last election | 2 May 2024 |
Next election | 4 May 2028 |
Meeting place | |
16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B19 3SD | |
Website | |
www |
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is the combined authority for the West Midlands metropolitan county in the United Kingdom. It was established by statutory instrument under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. [2] It is a strategic authority with powers over transport, economic development and regeneration. The authority formally came into being on 17 June 2016. [3]
The authority consists of seven indirectly elected constituent members, each a directly elected councillor from one of the seven West Midlands county local authorities, as well as the Mayor of the West Midlands, who is directly elected by the county's residents. [4]
There are currently thirteen non-constituent members, made up of three Local Enterprise Partnerships, as well as ten local authorities from outside the West Midlands county. There are also four 'observer organisations' (organisations awaiting non-constituent membership and non-voting observers). [5]
The abolition of the West Midlands County Council in 1986 left the county without a single authority covering the whole area, although some council functions continued to be provided jointly, through the West Midlands Joint Committee, the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority, West Midlands Police (initially under the oversight of the West Midlands Police Authority and currently overseen by the directly elected West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner) and West Midlands Fire Service.
The authority has previously (incorrectly) been referred to as the Greater Birmingham Combined Authority, or simply Greater Birmingham, [6] [7] [8] as the final model and membership was worked out and negotiated. Greater Birmingham is a term present in the current Local Enterprise Partnership which serves Birmingham, Solihull and some additional local council areas within the West Midlands. [9]
The authority's initial priorities will involve co-ordinating the city-region to act as one place on certain issues, such as international promotion and investment; reforming public services such as mental health services; and improving internal and external transport links. [10]
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is an executive body of the WMCA that oversees transportation (road, rail, bus and Metro) within the metropolitan county. The organisation carries over the previous responsibilities of Centro (the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive). [11] TfWM has a similar level of responsibility to Transport for London - although its responsibility with highways is limited to a defined set of major routes (the West Midlands Key Route Network). [12] TfWM's policies and strategy are set by the WMCA's transport delivery committee.
Transport for West Midlands operates the West Midlands Metro tram system, and is currently expanding the system from Birmingham City centre to Birmingham Airport, and to the west to Brierley Hill via the Merry Hill Shopping Centre. Metro extensions are planned and constructed through the Midland Metro Alliance, of which TfWM is a member.
TfWM is also looking at improvements to the M5 and M6 motorways, and new cycle routes as part of a metropolitan cycle network. There are also plans to work with central government over the future of the underused M6 Toll. [13]
While local planning will remain in the hands of the seven boroughs, the WMCA will be able to analyse county-wide brownfield sites and decide where new homes should be built.
A mental health commission was formed in order to create a reformed mental healthcare system in the county. [14] The WMCA will not, however, have control over a devolved NHS budget as is the case in Greater Manchester.
The WMCA co-runs the West Midlands Young Combined Authority with Birmingham-based organisation Aspire4U CIC, via its specific project named LyfeProof since June 2021 [15] and originally with The Beatfreeks Collective between September 2019 and May 2021. [16] The YCA held membership of 33 16–25-year-olds from all seven constituent members, upon establishment in September 2019. [17] The YCA has a co-opted membership of the Combined Authority Board, with members issuing updates of Young Combined Authority work, at each WMCA Board meeting since January 2020.
At the close of the first session of the YCA in August 2020, the number of members had reduced to 16, and it was agreed that the YCA would adopt a bicameral approach to its operation, featuring a core YCA board, combined with a YCA community, who would comment on the work of the WMCA and YCA. [18]
The YCA board was reformed in September 2020, and between October 2020 and November 2021 was co-chaired by Aisha Masood, a member from Birmingham, and Chris Burden, from Wolverhampton, who was elected councillor for the Fallings Park ward, at the 2021 Wolverhampton City Council election. [18]
The body, which after further recruitment had about 25 members and was chaired in 2021–2022 by Kashmire Hawker of Wolverhampton, a candidate for Tettenhall Regis at the 2022 City of Wolverhampton Council election and Lily Eaves of Coventry. It functions as a scrutiny and campaign body, and for 2020/21 had co-leads who dedicated to comment and engaged on the work of relevant WMCA portfolio leads. In November 2021, the YCA were awarded The Chair's Award, at the Royal Town Planning Institute's West Midlands Awards for Planning Excellence, [19] for the publication of a Vision and Priorities document in February 2021. [20]
A further review of the YCA's structure was undertaken in autumn 2022, with detail on specifics to be confirmed.
In 2017, the West Midlands, like several other city regions, elected a 'metro mayor' with similar powers to the Mayor of London. The date of the first mayoral election was 4 May 2017. [21] The election was won by Andy Street of the Conservative Party, with 50.4% of the votes in the second round against then Labour Party Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands in Sion Simon, [22] which was then followed by a near Landslide victory in May 2021's election, seeing him receive 54.04% of the second round vote against Birmingham Hodge Hill's Labour Party Member of Parliament in Liam Byrne. [23]
A directly elected mayor for the combined authority area was described as 'inevitable', [24] as such a role has been stated as a conditional requirement for a more powerful devolution deal. The WMCA shadow board submitted proposals for a combined authority with and without a mayor leader, and decided which plan of action to take based on the devolution proposals from the government for each. [25] Powers sought for a regional metro mayor and the WMCA were first revealed in a leaked bid document first reported by Simon Gilbert, of the Coventry Telegraph . [26] Those powers included the ability of the mayor to levy extra business rates from companies in the region. Negotiations also included the desire to take away the ability of local councils to retain future business rates growth and to hand that cash to the WMCA, who would decide how it was spent across the region instead of by individual local authorities.
As of 31 March 2023, the Combined Authority's Portfolio Holders and membership of the Combined Authority's Board are as follows before the 2023 United Kingdom local elections: [27]
Colour key (for political parties): Conservative Labour
Portfolio Holders | |||
---|---|---|---|
Name of Member | Nominating Authority | Position within the WMCA | |
Richard Parker | West Midlands Combined Authority | Mayor of the West Midlands | |
Bob Sleigh | West Midlands Combined Authority | Deputy Mayor of the West Midlands and Portfolio Lead for Finance | |
Patrick Harley | Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council | Portfolio Lead for Culture and Digital | |
Ian Brookfield | City of Wolverhampton Council | Portfolio Lead for Economy and Innovation | |
Ian Courts | Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council | Portfolio Lead for Environment, Energy and High Speed 2 | |
Mike Bird | Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council | Portfolio Lead for Housing and Land | |
Kerrie Carmichael | Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council | Portfolio Lead for Inclusive Communities | |
Brigid Jones | Birmingham City Council | Portfolio Lead for Levelling Up | |
George Duggins | Coventry City Council | Portfolio Lead for Skills and Productivity | |
John Cotton | Birmingham City Council | Portfolio Lead for Transport | |
Izzi Seccombe | Warwickshire County Council | Portfolio Lead for Wellbeing |
Colour key (for political parties): Conservative Labour Independent / Non-political
Constituent membership | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Names of Members | Nominating Authority | Position Within Nominating Authority | ||
Richard Parker | West Midlands Combined Authority | Mayor of the West Midlands | ||
John Cotton and Sharon Thompson | Birmingham City Council | Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council | ||
George Duggins and Abdul Khan | Coventry City Council | Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council | ||
Patrick Harley and Steve Clark | Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council | Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council | ||
Kerrie Carmichael and Bob Piper | Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council | Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council | ||
Ian Courts and Bob Sleigh | Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council | Leader of the Council and Deputy Mayor of the West Midlands | ||
Mike Bird and Rose Burley | Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council | Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council | ||
Ian Brookfield and Stephen Simpkins | City of Wolverhampton Council | Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council | ||
Non-constituent membership | ||||
Olivia Lyons | Cannock Chase District Council | Leader of the Council | ||
David Wright | North Warwickshire Borough Council | Leader of the Council | ||
Kristofer Wilson | Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council | Leader of the Council | ||
Matt Dormer | Redditch Borough Council | Leader of the Council | ||
Seb Lowe | Rugby Borough Council | Leader of the Council | ||
Lezley Picton | Shropshire Council | Leader of the Council | ||
Tony Jefferson | Stratford-on-Avon District Council | Leader of the Council | ||
Jeremy Oates | Tamworth Borough Council | Leader of the Council | ||
Shaun Davies | Telford and Wrekin Council | Leader of the Council | ||
Izzi Seccombe | Warwickshire County Council | Leader of the Council | ||
Local Enterprise Partnership | ||||
Tom Westley | Black Country LEP [28] | Chairman | ||
Sarah Windrum | Coventry and Warwickshire LEP [29] | Chairwoman | ||
Anita Bhalla | Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP [30] | Chairman | ||
Observer organisations awaiting membership, observer members and co-opted members | |||
---|---|---|---|
Name | Nominating authority | Position within nominating authority | |
Mandy Thorn | The Marches LEP [31] | Chairwoman | |
Lee Barron | Midlands Trade Union Congress | Regional Secretary | |
Andrew Day | Warwick District Council | Leader of the Council | |
Greg Brackenridge | West Midlands Fire & Rescue Authority | Chairman | |
Simon Foster | West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner | Elected PCC | |
X2 Members | West Midlands Young Combined Authority | YCA Board Representatives | |
West Midlands is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the larger West Midlands region of England. A landlocked county, it is bordered by Staffordshire to the north and west, Worcestershire to the south, and is surrounded by Warwickshire to the east. The largest settlement is the city of Birmingham.
The West Midlands Metro is a light-rail/tram system in the county of West Midlands, England. The network has 33 stops with a total of 14 miles (23 km) of track; it currently consists of a single route, Line 1, which operates between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via the towns of Bilston, West Bromwich and Wednesbury, on a mixture of former railway lines and urban on-street running. The system is owned by the public body Transport for West Midlands, and operated by Midland Metro Limited, a company wholly owned by the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The West Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of International Territorial Level for statistical purposes. It covers the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. The region consists of the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire. The region has seven cities; Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford, Lichfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton and Worcester.
The West Midlands conurbation is the large conurbation in the West Midlands region of England. The area consists of two cities and numerous towns: to the east, the city of Birmingham, along with adjacent towns of Solihull and Sutton Coldfield; and to the west, the city of Wolverhampton and the area called the Black Country, containing the towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Oldbury, Willenhall, Bilston, Darlaston, Tipton, Smethwick, Wednesbury, Rowley Regis, Stourbridge and Halesowen.
Birmingham is a major transport hub, due in part to its location in central England. The city is well connected by rail, road, and water. Public transport and key highways in the city are overseen by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM).
Birmingham, a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England, is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is the public body responsible for co-ordinating transport services in the West Midlands metropolitan county in England. It is an executive body of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), with bus franchising and highway management powers similar to Transport for London. TfWM's policies and strategy are set by the Transport Delivery Committee of the WMCA.
National Express West Midlands (NXWM), also operating under the West Midlands Bus brand identity, is an English bus operator in the West Midlands, a subsidiary of Mobico Group. It is the largest bus operator in the region and one of the single largest in Britain.
The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive (WMPTE) was the public body responsible for public transport in the West Midlands metropolitan county in the United Kingdom from 1969 until 2016. The organisation operated under the name Centro from 1990, and was publicly branded as Network West Midlands from 2005.
The inaugural West Midlands mayoral election was held on 4 May 2017 to elect the Mayor of the West Midlands, with subsequent elections to be held every four years from May 2020. The election took place alongside five elections for English metro mayors and other local elections, and ahead of the general election on 8 June 2017.
Andrew John Street is a British businessman and Conservative Party politician who was the managing director of John Lewis from 2007 to 2016 and Mayor of the West Midlands from 2017 to 2024. He was Britain's first openly gay directly-elected metro mayor. Street won the May 2017 mayoral election, defeating Siôn Simon with 50.4% of the vote in the second round. He was re-elected in 2021, defeating Labour candidate Liam Byrne. He sought to win election to a third term in 2024 but was narrowly defeated by Labour candidate Richard Parker.
The Mayor of the West Midlands is a directly elected political post who chairs the West Midlands Combined Authority, covering the local authorities serving Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
The 2021 West Midlands Mayoral Election was held on 6 May 2021 to elect the mayor of the West Midlands, on the same day as other local elections across England and Wales, including councillors in six of its seven boroughs and the police and crime commissioner for the West Midlands city region. This was the second election for the post, which had its first election in 2017 due to the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016. The mayor was elected using the supplementary vote system. The election was originally due to take place in May 2020, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) is a British municipally owned corporation which was formed to manage rail transport policy in the West Midlands region of England. It is jointly owned by a partnership of 16 local authorities.
Network is a sans-serif typeface originally created by Monotype for use on the transport network in the Birmingham/West Midlands metropolitan area in the United Kingdom. The typeface is based on VAG Rounded, which was previously the typeface used by the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive for public information in the county.
Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) is a light rail/tram system proposed to operate in Coventry. The system has been promoted as being the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. When finished, it will also be the first tram network to operate in Coventry since the Second World War.
The Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership was a local enterprise partnership (LEP) established in 2012, which sought to help with economic growth and plans around the Black Country, in West Midlands County, England. The partnership officially closed services at the end of 2023 with operations moving over to the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The 2024 West Midlands mayoral election was held on 2 May 2024 to elect the mayor of the West Midlands. The election took place on the same day as other local elections across England and Wales. Richard Parker of the Labour Party won the election, narrowly defeating incumbent Conservative mayor Andy Street, who was running for a third term.