At the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham on Monday, 3rd October, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) launched its vision as to what they need to level up the region.
Titled the ‘Levelling Up Growth Prospectus', it aims to enhance the regional economy by driving forward a new, green industrial revolution while attracting major private sector investment.
Attending the launch were WMCA chief executive Laura Shoaf, WMCA portfolio lead for Environment, Energy & HS2 and leader of Solihull Council Cllr Ian Courts, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Nadhim Zahawi, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA Andy Street, and senior development manager, Birmingham City University Raaj Shamji.
The Prospectus sets out what is needed to accelerate that levelling up to produce a West Midlands that is fit for the future, leading the fight against climate change, tackling inequalities in health and wealth, and unlocks greater opportunities for all parts of society. It sits alongside and supports the WMCA's recently launched ‘Plan for Growth‘.
The Prospectus goes beyond current discussions with Government on a new Trailblazing Devolution Deal for the West Midlands. It provides a long-term vision for the region, and shows how the existing levelling up programme can be sped up and expanded through:
- More flexible funding to build affordable, zero carbon homes and create new Investment Zones to unlock stalled investment.
- New methods for persuading people to use public transport through mobility credit schemes, new e-mobility powers, and having a dynamic role in Great British Railways.
- Powers to help key growth sectors in the region flourish, and to drive innovation in low carbon businesses such as electric car manufacturing; battery production; low-carbon modular homes; and utilities such as wind and solar power.
- Greater control and influence over investment in the region's energy system to provide greater resilience against price hike shocks and the ability to speed up the decarbonisation of infrastructure and industry.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said: “Levelling Up remains mission critical for our region and indeed the whole country. As we seek to supercharge our economic recovery, we must embrace the coming green industrial revolution and draw in private sector investment in order to bounce back.
“We have already made great strides here in the West Midlands – developing our public transport system, upskilling local residents, building thousands of new homes and unlocking hundreds of acres of derelict industrial land for development. We continue to rise to our #WM2041 net zero commitment – including via our pioneering retrofit schemes.
“But to build on this progress, we need the Government to give us the tools to go further and faster. This Prospectus sets out what we need to tackle the challenges we face in the weeks, months and years ahead. As the Prime Minister said, ‘When the West Midlands succeeds, the country succeeds' so I urge the Government to back us all the way.”
Cllr Cllr Brigid Jones, WMCA portfolio lead for levelling up and deputy leader of Birmingham City Council, added:
“We are facing a cost-of-living crisis, driven by high inflation and soaring energy prices and the direct and indirect consequences of this crisis for the region's residents and businesses could be profound.
“But this Prospectus isn't just about tackling the challenges of today – it's also about our shared hopes for the future. We want the West Midlands to be the home of a new, green industrial revolution. This document calls upon government to match our ambitions with their support, with proposals around local area energy systems to help reduce energy bills and support for innovation in areas such as battery technology.
“The Government must lay solid foundations for real recovery with sustainable and fair funding for local government. Through “double devolution” we can unlock a whole system approach to level up the nation. This Prospectus is a blueprint for how to do that.”
