Mayoral candidate fears role could lack powers Labour hopeful says remit of elected leader needs fixing now
LABOUR’S candidate for next year’s West Midlands mayoral election has joined calls to strengthen the role after critics claimed it would be a toothless position with little power.
Siôn Simon, who was chosen last month as the party’s candidate to stand next May, says the current draft for the role is a “bureaucratic misalignment” which needs fixing if the mayor is to champion West Midlands businesses and communities.
His concerns echo those of West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson who last month said the new mayor would be a “toothless tiger” and “impotent” and smothered by council leaders and bureaucrats who could out-vote the mayor.
The new West Midlands Combined Authority, which the mayor will lead, is made up of the seven councils of the metropolitan county – Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
It will have responsibility for budgets affecting areas such as transport and mental health and has been consulting over recent months about the powers of the new mayor.
Mr Simon, who is a West Midlands MEP and former MP for Erdington said: “For the mayoral scheme to work for us in the West Midlands, we need a mayor working closely and collaboratively with council leaders.
“We also need a mayor with the powers to be the true champion for the West Midlands, powers to advance the interests of our businesses and our communities and powers that will help us to manage the fallout from Brexit. The mayoral scheme as currently drafted doesn’t do that.
“It looks a lot like an administrative attempt to weaken the mayor and mini- mise the possibilities for progress. And it doesn’t reflect the views of the council leaders to whom I speak all the time and I know share my vision of a strong mayor, working side by side with council leaders in the best interests of the West Midlands.
“I’m sure this is misalignment but now.
“We can’t afford to waste the first 12 months of a mayoral term unpicking illadvised arrangements when we should be generating jobs and growth, improving our transport network and building new housing.”
Councillor Bob Sleigh, leader of Solihull Council and chairman of the combined authority, said: “The powers that come with this devolution deal have just a bureaucratic it does need fixing
It looks a lot like an administrative attempt to weaken the mayor Siôn Simon
now been consulted upon and we will be feeding back the public consultation responses to the secretary of state.
“The current mayoral powers match this particular deal but discussions on further devolution for the West Midlands continue and we would anticipate the Government would want to negotiate further powers as that process continues.
“The mayor has a key role to play as a champion for the West Midlands, promoting our strengths and talents around the world.
“Our goal is to release untapped economic growth and jobs, provide new transport infrastructure and housing and ultimately deliver increased prosperity for the people of the West Midlands.”