West Midlands Mayor Rules Out Combined Authority Boundary Expansion

Richard Parker, the Mayor of the West Midlands, has stated that he does not anticipate an expansion of the territorial limits of the combined authority under his leadership. The current Labour administration is undertaking what is described as the most significant reorganization of local government bodies in five decades, a process that could result in the consolidation of Warwickshire’s six councils into a single entity. Warwickshire County Council intends to establish a new unified authority and is in the process of presenting its proposal to the government. Although the county council explored the possibility of becoming part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) in 2023, this concept was subsequently abandoned. When questioned by the BBC, Parker was asked if he could definitively exclude Warwickshire’s inclusion in the WMCA, considering the government’s proposed devolution framework. He responded by stating: “I think the Warwickshire issue was dealt with at that time and is now in another place.” He further added: “So I do not envisage the boundaries of this combined authority being extended.” The mayor indicated that the government “would like to see those county areas develop their own approaches to devolution and that in my view is the best way forward”. The WMCA comprises 18 councils from the West Midlands region; however, only seven of these possess complete voting privileges. This body receives funding and authority from the central government to make determinations on matters including transport, skills development, and housing. Residents residing within the areas governed by Warwickshire County Council would have been eligible to participate in elections for the West Midlands mayor, had the council been permitted to attain full membership status within the combined authority. The proposal faced opposition from Labour politicians, among them Coventry City Council’s leader, who implied it was an effort to sway mayoral election results towards the Conservatives, the party currently in charge of Warwickshire County Council. Izzi Seccombe, the Conservative leader of the county council, stated that the inclusion of Warwickshire as a full member of the WMCA was not part of the government’s current agenda. She informed the BBC: “It’s not in the devolution white paper at this point,” adding, “But that doesn’t rule it out in the future.” Under the government’s proposed devolution framework, mayors such as Parker would be granted increased authority concerning housing, transport, education, employment, and urban planning. This expanded authority would encompass the power to “call in” – which signifies determining the result of – strategically significant planning applications. Parker affirmed his commitment to collaborating with council leaders to address any planning-related concerns. He commented: “Doing it together and jointly remains the best way to achieve the outcomes I want.” When questioned about intervening to sanction large-scale renewable energy developments, like solar farms, he responded that it was “not appropriate for me respond to hypothetical issues about future projects”. He concluded by stating: “We’ll deal with them when they come in.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.