Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed the Mayor and members of the committee to the first mayoral question time for 2023/24 that would be focussing on WMCA policy-related matters.

Apologies for absence were received from Amanda Tomlinson (Business Representative) and Councillor Lauren Rainbow (Birmingham).

The committee pursued a number of general lines of enquiry with the Mayor, including governance and accountability, the economy, skills, green policies and housing.

The Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill that was expected to receive Royal Assent shortly would simplify the process for amalgamating the Police & Crime Commissioner role into that of the Mayor.  If agreed, the WMCA together with the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner would consider the practical arrangements of such a merger, including its governance structures. In terms of managing workloads, the Mayor considered that the appointment of a deputy, the use of delegated decision making and efficient structures were key elements to support the Chief Constable to improve the delivery of operational policing.

In respect of the events within the Middle East, the Mayor had met with the Jewish and Muslim communities, and both were understanding of the importance of each other’s reactions to the Israel-Gaza conflict, which was critical for harmony between the different communities within the region.  Discussions were also held with the Chief Constable regarding the guidance provided by the Home Secretary and how police officers were responding to events within the community.

Through the Deeper Devolution Deal, it had been agreed that the region’s MPs would be able to scrutinise the Mayor in four Q&A sessions throughout the year.  The Mayor shared his thoughts on the value of these Q&A sessions and believed that he was accountable to citizens of the West Midlands through members of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, as their democratically elected representatives.

The Government and the WMCA recognised that the current system of funding for mayoral combined authorities was fragmented and reliant on centrally administered funds.  With a single settlement arrangement, the Government would give the WMCA single capital and revenue funding that would provide long term certainty and would enable the WMCA to work more effectively.  It was also recognised that there was a need to review the current process in which funds were allocated to improve the pace at which programmes and projects were delivered.

With regards to the economy, the Mayor provided an overview of the lessons learnt following the transfer of the key functions of the Local Enterprise Partnerships to the WMCA and explained how the authority ensured that the business voice continued to influence decision making within the WMCA. In relation to the cancellation of the Birmingham to Manchester leg of the HS2 scheme, it was reported that the WMCA would commission an economic impact review and would continue to look at how links to Manchester could be improved. A further discussion was held on the delivery of the Midland Rail Hub.

The committee explored questions regarding the current performance of the labour market, including high unemployment and vacancy rates, the nature of vacancies, reskilling and skills bootcamps.  The Mayor also shared his views on the impact of the Government’s announcements related to its net zero policies, climate emergencies and partnership working with local authorities to progress to net zero.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 159.

Monday 6 November 2023 at 10:00am