Coventry set to join 'Greater Birmingham' super authority

[rebbonk]

It's nice to see local democracy, Coventry style, in action isn't it? I trust Lucas has seen her last election success?

I pray to God that I'm never given reason to say, "told you so" when Coventry loses out at the expense of Brum.

[dutchman]

West Midlands Combined Authority online survey branded a 'propaganda exercise'

A questionnaire published by the fledgling West Midlands Combined Authority to gather public opinion on its role has been branded a propaganda exercise.

The eight question survey is available via the WMCA's website and has been launched to “help inform the government’s decision on whether it is appropriate and in the region’s best interests to formally establish a WMCA ahead of parliament being asked to approve it.”

But the wordy questions appear to make positive statements about the planned council alliance and then ask participants how much they agree with them.

Coun John Blundell, leader of the Conservative opposition on Coventry City Council, has blasted the exercise.

His party would prefer an alliance with Warwickshire away from the West Midlands, amid fears of dominance of the new alliance by Birmingham.

He said: “It’s utter rubbish and it’s misleading. It doesn’t mention the different combined authority arrangements available and it doesn’t mention a West Midlands mayor. It is a complete propaganda exercise of leading questions.

“It absolutely blindingly obvious that the WMCA is, to all intents and purposes, Greater Birmingham. That will not change until the geographical shape of the combined authority is changed dramatically.”

Many of the details included in the devolution deal first emerged when the Telegraph exclusively revealed a leaked WMCA bid document outlining what powers the region was seeking in September.

But potential benefits and drawbacks for the region became clearer in November when seven West Midlands councils signed up to become part of the WMCA in a bid to receive extra powers from Westminster.

Major changes will include the creation of a West Midlands mayor with the ability to add a precept to council tax bills, and the regional setting, collection and spending of business rates. The region will also receive its own transport budget and a housing fund.

Coun Bob Sleigh, chair of the WMCA’s shadow board, said: “I believe that by working together with other authorities we have a tremendous opportunity to move powers from Whitehall to the West Midlands and our locally elected politicians who know this region best.

“Furthermore the establishment of a combined authority will allow us to work together on the issues that really matter to the people and the businesses in the West Midlands; growth, jobs, skills, transport and homes.”

The online survey will be available at the WMCA website until February 8.

[rebbonk]

That questionnaire is a joke. If this is what we have to look forward to from this new 'authority', I think we are in real trouble.

[dutchman]

'Greater Birmingham' might not work says financial watchdog

Plans for a combined authority and mayor to help govern the West Midlands are “untested” says the National Audit Office.

The region is preparing to elect the first ever West Midlands mayor next year.

But the National Audit Office, the official public spending watchdog, has warned that the new arrangements are “untested” - and the Government should do more to prove that they will achieve the benefits that have been promised.

It has published a report on English devolution deals looking at ten deals across the country, the West Midlands.

And it singled out the West Midlands plan for particular criticism, saying that the region’s councils do not have a long history of working together.

It said: “The first devolution deals, in Greater Manchester and Cornwall, were based on areas with established institutional arrangements and coterminous local enterprise partnership areas.

“More recent deals such as in the West Midlands set up more complex and untested arrangements.”

And the National Audit Office said it was concerned that the government did not appear to have explained exactly who would be held accountable when powers were transferred from central government to mayors, combined authorities and other local institutions.

It was also unclear how the Government would decide whether the new arrangements had been a success or a failure, the National Audit Office said.

It warned: “The government can do more to provide confidence that devolution deals can support economic growth and better value for money by resolving the issues we have identified relating to accountability, administrative geography and impact measurement.”

When has that ever stopped the government proceeding with a half-baked plan?

[rebbonk]

Nobody wants it, the finances don't stack up, but we'll get it (and pay for it) to salve some politician's grossly inflated ego!

[dutchman]

Revealed: Date of election to choose 'Greater Birmingham' mayor



The proposed date for the election of the first ever West Midlands mayor has been revealed.

Draft parliamentary devolution documents show that the proposed date for the election of a regional metro mayor for Coventry , Birmingham and the wider West Midlands is May 4, 2017.

The West Midlands Combined Authority Election of Mayor Order also underlines that elected mayors will serve four year terms. It reads that subsequent elections will take place “every fourth year thereafter on the same day as the ordinary day of election)”.

Critics have hit out at the imposition of a mayor on the region as a condition of the area receiving powers and funding from central government under its devolution plans. Those against the move point to a 2012 referendum in which Coventry and Birmingham rejected the idea of city mayors and raise concerns over the amount of power wielded by one person.

But chancellor George Osborne has made metro-mayors a prerequisite of devolution deals stating that, with the handing down of large amounts of power and money, there should be obvious accountability.

A West Midlands mayor is likely to be given powers including the ability to raise business rates in the region and add a precept to residents’ council tax bills. The mayor would also oversee transport in the region.

The WMCA will include Coventry, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall councils as full voting members. Warwickshire County Council is also set to vote to join during a full council meeting on May 17.

[dutchman]

Coventry council leader rules out leaving 'Greater Birmingham'



Coventry council’s new leader appears to have ruled out any prospect of Coventry withdrawing from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

Coun George Duggins has clarified his position on the alliance, commonly referred to as ‘Greater Birmingham’, after he called an extraordinary meeting of the full council to discuss the city’s future in the partnership.

The meeting has been called for May 31 to address the “Next steps on the WMCA including consideration of the devolution deal and mayoral order.”

Coun Duggins has indicated he has reservations about the introduction of a mayor, but he told the Telegraph there is unlikely to be any great shift in the ruling Labour group’s position of favouring the alliance with Birmingham and five other metropolitan councils.

But the Conservative opposition on the council does appear to be ready to change its stance and accept the move after the Telegraph revealed the Tory-led Warwickshire County Council was set to vote to sign up during a full council meeting on May 17.

[rebbonk]

By not giving the residents a say, Duggins has missed a trick.

Wait until the greater Brum Mayor's tax precepts start being handed down, people will really moan then.

[dutchman]

New Greater Birmingham Mayor could be toothless figurehead, senior officials say

An elected mayor for the West Midlands could be a lame duck according to concerns raised by senior officials.

There are fears the Boris Johnson-style regional metro mayor is at risk of being shackled by organised council leaders.

Privately, officials have raised the potential of a ‘smothered mayor’ who, despite being directly elected, could be outvoted by the seven council leaders of Birmingham, Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Dudley and Coventry.

The mayor is set to be introduced on May 2017, with an election pencilled in for May 4.

Whoever fills the position is supposed to be responsible for transport, economic development and housing policy across the Greater Birmingham region and will control a budget of £40million a year.

But, according to insiders at the newly-formed West Midlands Combined Authority, he will be “just another member of the cabinet with the seven leaders” and have christened it the “smothered mayor model”.

The mayor of the organisation, often referred to as Greater Birmingham, is also due to take over control of West Midlands Police and the fire service.

But West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has today warned that he will not pass over the police to a toothless mayor.

[dutchman]

Coventry's Greater Birmingham membership in doubt as Tories threaten legal action over "withheld information"

A rare extraordinary meeting of Coventry City Council is scheduled for May 31 to vote on Coventry’s impending membership of the West Midlands Combined Authority, commonly referred to as ‘Greater Birmingham’, and the powers of a soon to be introduced West Midlands mayor.

But the Tories are now threatening to have that meeting postponed after launching an official complaint with the council’s chief legal officer and raising concerns that the authority’s rules could have been broken.

That would have big implications as Coventry has been told it must make a formal decision about signing up to the West Midlands devolution deal by May 31.

Conservative councillors say that documents released ahead of the meeting included just two recommendations from officers about the actions it suggests councillors should take in relation to the WMCA.

But the Tories say 12 more were added late on Monday and that the information was made available to Labour councillors but not their party.

They say that meant Labour were able to discuss the recommendations fully at their private group meeting on Monday evening, but the Conservatives were in the dark about the late recommendations during their separate meeting later that night.

But Labour council leader George Duggins blasted the accusation that key documents had been deliberately withheld from the Conservatives and dismissed any notion of the May 31 meeting being postponed.

He said: “I’m not responsible for sorting out paperwork for the Tory group. There’s a difference in the paperwork the Labour group had and the Tory group had.

“I don’t know how that happened, that’s to do with council officers. I’m not going to accept any suggestion that I, or any of my councillors, had anything to do with that. I don’t work like that.”

He added: “The meeting can’t be postponed, the decision has to be taken by May 31. The rules are quite clear in respect to that.

“Only the agenda has to go out in advance of a meeting, other papers can be tabled at any time.

“It’s not a breach of the constitution and the meeting will not be postponed.”

Both parties were given officer presentations on Monday ahead of the May 31 meeting, but Conservative councillors insist the new recommendations were not included when they were spoken to by acting chief executive Martin Yardley.