Simon pledges to develop 8,000 apprentice places
LABOUR’S West Midlands Mayoral candidate has promised to create 8,000 apprenticeships for young people if elected in May.
Launching his mayoral manifesto on this week, Siôn Simon, also pledged to restore pride in the region and ensure it punches its weight on the global stage – with a focus on jobs and manufacturing.
The Labour Euro MP launched his manifesto on Thursday with a whistle-stop tour of seven colleges – one in each of the West Midlands Metropolitan boroughs, including Birmingham’s South and City College.
He has already pledged to simplify and cap bus and tram fares at £4.40 per day, double the size of the tram network and reopen the Moseley rail line, launch a drugs and crime taskforce and put £500 million towards cleaning up derelict former factory sites for redevelopment and job creation.
And he has proposed lobbying for the M6 Toll Road to be nationalised or made free to ease congestion.
He is battling it out with five rivals to become the first West Midlands Mayor on May 4 and take responsibility for an £8 billion investment fund to plough into transport, housing and job creation projects.
The former Erdington MP said that any companies securing develop- ment contracts would need guarantee apprenticeships. They will also be required to pay the living wage of £8.45 per hour.
Mr Simon said: “People ask me: what’s this new mayor role all about? For me, to it’s about restoring our pride and our place in the world. It’s about taking back control of our region – because if we run it ourselves, we can do a better job of it than politicians in London. “It’s about building our future with the pride of our past. It’s about us. It’s about getting the tools that we need to do something about the problems we face. And that means we can do something about the plight of youth unemployment here. “The £8 billion investment programme should deliver us one apprentice for every £1 million spent. And if I am Mayor, that’s what we’ll deliver.” In Dudley Mr Simon launched his plan for a new £30 milllion universitylevel technical and hitech manufacturing centre to become a national leader of skills in vehicle propulsion, rail systems and digital engineering.