Coventry set to join 'Greater Birmingham' super authority

[rebbonk]

It's not often I agree with Blundell, but I do here.

[dutchman]

Cash-strapped Coventry council to spend £250,000 trying to win support for Birmingham alliance

Coventry City Council will spend up to £250,000 as it aims to explain to the public why it wants to join Birmingham in a Combined Authority.

The figure is revealed in a report from council officer to cabinet members ahead of a meeting on May 28.

The only item on the agenda is the issue of devolution and a combined authority for the West Midlands.

Officers recommend in the report that cabinet “agree in principle to create a combined authority with a preferred option of councils from Coventry and Warwickshire (and Hinckley and Bosworth) with councils from the Greater Birmingham and Solihull and the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership areas.”

They are also asked to vote in favour of delegating power to Labour council leader Ann Lucas and council chief executive Martin Reeves to “enter negotiation and discussions on a potential devolution deal so that proposals can be considered by full council in due course.”

It also sets out a budget of £250,000, from council cash reserves, to “facilitate engagement with residents, local businesses, the city’s universities and other key partners and undertake and strengthen the economic analysis required to inform the work on a devolution deal.”

It is understood planned activity includes sending a document outlining the pros and cons of joining a West Midlands combined authority to every single household, holding ward forums, external media advertising and possible public debates.

[rebbonk]

Rather than waste our money in an attempt to sway us, I'd rather they put that money towards a local referendum on what we want.

Sadly, I won't be holding my breath.

[rebbonk]

There has not been a SINGLE indication of the benefit to Coventry to joining this 'authority'.

Because there isn't one.

If the people of Coventry genuinely want this, fair enough, that's democracy. Put it to the vote Lucas!

[dutchman]

Coventry council accused of taxpayer funded 'propaganda' over combined authority link-up with Birmingham

Coventry City Council has been accused of releasing taxpayer-funded “propaganda” relating to plans to join Birmingham in a combined authority.

A budget of up to £250,000, funded from cash reserves, was yesterday signed off by the council’s cabinet to engage residents and relevant organisations about the possibility of Coventry joining neighbouring councils in a combined authority.

Hours after yesterday’s cabinet meeting, a document appeared on the council website which included “questions and answers that people have been asking about combined authorities.”

But Coun Allan Andrews (pictured right), Coventry Conservatives deputy leader, has hit out at the information – saying it’s weighted in favour of the ruling Labour group. He has now contacted council officers to express his concerns.

Information he considers misleading relates to the requirement of a ruling metro mayor in any new authority and descriptions of the exact powers a combined authority could have, and possibly take away from Coventry.

He said: “It’s propaganda coming out of the council and people should treat it with a pinch of salt.

“It is not objective, it looks like it’s been written by Labour Party politicians who have an agenda to pacify public concerns about having a mayor.”

The Tory government has been absolutely clear that any new combined authority will have to have an elected mayor in order to receive desired powers through devolution. Chancellor George Osborne recently said: “With these new powers for cities must come new city-wide elected mayors who work with local councils. I will not impose this model on anyone. But nor will I settle for less.”

That stance was again underlined during this week’s Queens Speech. But the document produced by Coventry City Council to inform residents states “we don’t have to have one”.

Coun Andrews said: “Where we have metropolitan borough areas Mr Osborne has been really clear, we have to have a metro mayor as part of it. That element is non-negotiable.

“Why Labour seem to be indicating differently, I’m not sure. It’s certainly disingenuous.”

He also raised concerns over the document’s insistence that no local powers would be taken over by a new combined authority and that it gave an impression of Warwickshire being on board with Coventry.

[rebbonk]

Coventry council accused of taxpayer funded 'propaganda' over combined authority link-up with Birmingham

Quelle surprise!

If this proves to be the case, heads must roll.

[dutchman]

George Osborne says 'Greater Birmingham' vote not needed



Chancellor George Osborne has rejected the idea that local people should be given a vote on whether Coventry should join Birmingham and the Black Country in a combined authority.

Mr Osborne was speaking after a summit of officials from seven West Midlands councils, including Coventry, to discuss the formation of a combined authority and the powers it could receive under plans to hand responsibilities to the regions from Westminster.

More than 3,500 people have signed an online petition calling for Coventry residents to be given a say on any combined authority agreement, and Coventry City Council is now investigating the feasibility of holding a vote.

But, asked about whether local people should have a say on a combined authority, Mr Osborne said: “I want to get on with this agenda, it was in our manifesto. Clearly the people of the West Midlands put their trust in this new government.

“I’m dealing with the council leaders, to make sure local people have more control over the things that affect their lives. I think that’s the best way forward.”

Mr Osborne also dismissed concerns other areas faced loss of identity and would be dominated under a so-called ‘Greater Birmingham’ partnership. He said focus should be on combining efforts rather than the name.

He added: “There’s a real opportunity to bring communities together, and not in any way to submerge local identities but to say that the whole can be greater than the individual parts.”

Mr Osborne also confirmed a West Midlands authority would need a mayor in order to receive powers - including transport.

He said: “Obviously, and this is a point I made to the council leaders, if you go to the full model of total control over transport, then there’s got to be some accountability.

“Local people who pay their taxes need to make sure that they can hold power to account and they know who carries the can if things go wrong.

“And in every other major western country the best model for doing that has been to have an elected mayor.

“If you want to go for the full model with all or many of the local decisions taken here, then you have got to have some accountability and some democracy. The mayor model works best.”

[rebbonk]

...vote not needed

Well Gidiot would say that wouldn't he? Not exactly impartial or without vested interest is he?

Those that it affects (The citizens) are entitled to a say; it's called democracy! - Not that I expect the Eton educated, former towel folder to understand, or care.

[dutchman]

Coventry residents won't get to vote on "Greater Birmingham"



People look set to be denied a vote into whether Coventry should join Birmingham in a combined authority.

A report by Coventry City Council officers, due to be reviewed by the authority’s cabinet on June 17, concludes that a referendum would not be feasible.

It states that there is not enough time to give residents a vote on the issue, that it would be too costly and that questions on the voting form would be too complex.

Officers estimate a poll on the issue could cost £150,000 via a postal vote system, with online and telephone responses possible, or up to £500,000 for a full referendum.

Insistence that a vote would be too expensive to organise comes despite the council recently signing off a budget of up to £250,000 to “engage” with residents over the issue of a combined authority.

The news comes in the wake of strong public opposition to Coventry joining forces with Birmingham, the Black Country and Solihull in a combined authority in a bid to secure more spending powers from central government.

In a statement issued this evening, Coun Ann Lucas, Labour leader of Coventry City Council, said: "It’s really important that people have as much information as possible about what a combined authority really means.



"People have told me they don’t want us to be part of Birmingham, or for Coventry to lose its identity.

"Neither do I, and as an equal partner in a West Midlands combined authority it simply won’t happen.

"Coventry will always be a proud city, with its own identity, boundaries and ambitions. None of that changes.

"Just as Coventry has strong links with Birmingham and other Midlands cities where we’ve worked together on issues like transport for many years, we also work closely with Warwickshire County Council and hope they, and district councils across the county, join us and reap the benefits of a combined authority, and talks are continuing.

"The government has made it clear we have to move at speed on this issue if we’re not going to fall behind the rest of the country, so we haven’t had the time to explain the details as fully as we would have liked.

"That work needs to start in earnest over the next few weeks so we can start to allay peoples’ fears about a Birmingham takeover.

"The answer isn’t a referendum – the Chancellor has made it clear we don’t need one and it would be difficult and expensive to organise in the time allowed to us to consult Coventry people.

"But the engagement programme we’re proposing will see us do far more here than will be taking place in other areas. It will give us the opportunity to listen to peoples’ views and talk to them about combined authorities."

Cabinet are set to approve the report at their meeting on June 17 – and a debate on the combined authority will take place at full council on July 14.

[rebbonk]

I trust Lucas as far as I could throw her!

Having read Maton's Q&A session yesterday I'm frankly disgusted. He came across as very arrogant, condescending and was deliberately not seeing the people's concerns.

Maton made one good point that people were getting upset about what was as yet unknown. And it is true that we don't yet know what the terms or benefits will be. He kept on asking, 'but don't you want money, don't you want jobs...?' Well yes of course we do, but we'd rather it was with Warwickshire not Birmingham, and perhaps if the only way we are to get these thing is to join with Birmingham that is a price too high for many.

Sadly, I fear that this is a 'done deal' and that no matter what the citizens want they will get what the council bulldozes upon them.