04.08.17
Street presents case for second Midlands devo deal to PM
Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority Andy Street has this week met with prime minister Theresa May to set out the case for a second devolution deal for the region.
Last week, business secretary Greg Clark confirmed that negotiations were due to start, aiming to build on the £1bn devolution deal that was reached back in 2015.
Clark said that this deal, which created the mayoralty in the region, should act as the foundation, not the end, of further empowerment of the region.
Street visited May at 10 Downing street this week to discuss transformational opportunities for the region, specifically Birmingham’s bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the Coventry City of Culture bid and the relocation of Channel 4.
“The relationship between the West Midlands and government has arguably never been better which puts us in a really strong position,” Street commented.
“The collaborative approach by local authorities and other organisations involved in economic development in the region is now being recognised by government. This is why we are the region at the front of the queue in discussions over a new devolution deal.”
Street added that it was currently an exciting time for the West Midlands, with the Commonwealth Games, Coventry City of Culture and Channel 4 relocation all on the table, offering real potential to deliver transformational benefits for the region.
“The region has presented a really strong case for each of these, strengthened even more by the government’s continuing commitment to HS2,” he concluded. “I was delighted to have the opportunity to continue reinforcing this with the prime minister.”
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