West Midlands Combined Authority

West Midlands Combined Authority
Name	West Midlands Combined Authority
Formation	17 June 2016
Type	Combined authority
Headquarters	16 Summer Lane, Birmingham
Region	West Midlands
Membership	7 constituent authorities
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Andy Street
Website	www.wmca.org.uk

West Midlands Combined Authority. The West Midlands Combined Authority is a strategic administrative body established to drive economic growth, improve transport, and oversee housing and skills development across a major metropolitan region of England. Formed in 2016, it operates under a devolution deal with the UK Government, granting it specific powers and funding. The authority is led by a directly elected Mayor and brings together the leaders of seven local councils to coordinate strategic planning across council boundaries.

History

The establishment of the authority followed the enactment of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016, which enabled the creation of combined authorities with elected mayors. The initial devolution deal was signed in November 2015 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, and local leaders from the historic county. Its formal legal incorporation occurred in June 2016, following orders laid before Parliament. The creation was part of a wider wave of devolution in England, similar to models adopted in Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. The first mayoral election was held in May 2017, coinciding with other local elections across the United Kingdom.

Governance

The governance structure is set out in its constitution and the devolution order. The key decision-making body is the board, comprising the directly elected Mayor and the leader or nominated member from each of the seven constituent metropolitan boroughs and non-metropolitan districts. Certain decisions, particularly those relating to the mayor's budget and spatial strategy, require a majority vote that includes the mayor's approval. The authority is scrutinized by overview and scrutiny committees appointed from among the members of the constituent councils. It works in partnership with organizations like the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and local enterprise partnerships on issues of shared strategic importance.

Functions and powers

The authority exercises functions devolved from central government departments, primarily HM Treasury, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and the Department for Transport. Its core functions include strategic spatial planning through a Spatial Development Strategy, control over a consolidated transport budget, and responsibility for adult education and skills funding. It has powers to fund and deliver housing projects, support economic regeneration, and has established investment funds like the West Midlands Investment Fund. The authority also oversees the delivery of key infrastructure projects, such as the expansion of the West Midlands Metro tram network.

Member authorities

The combined authority comprises seven full constituent member councils. These are the three cities of Birmingham, Coventry, and Wolverhampton, along with the metropolitan boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, and Walsall. These members are all within the metropolitan county area. Notably, the authority's geography does not include the wider government office region, excluding areas like Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire, though it collaborates with these neighboring shire counties on cross-boundary issues.

Economy and transport

The authority has significant responsibility for the region's economic strategy, working closely with the West Midlands Growth Company and local enterprise partnerships. It manages the devolved Adult Education Budget to align skills training with employer needs. In transport, it sets strategy and funding for local networks, overseeing the operations of Transport for West Midlands, which coordinates buses, the West Midlands Metro, and local rail services. Major projects under its purview include the development of HS2 stations at Curzon Street and Birmingham Interchange, and the ongoing regeneration of areas like the Jaguar Land Rover plant in Solihull.

Mayoralty

The Mayor of the West Midlands is a directly elected position, with the first election held in 2017. The inaugural and current mayor is Andy Street, former Managing Director of John Lewis. The mayor has specific personal powers, including the ability to set a precept on council tax, produce the spatial development strategy, and appoint a deputy. The mayor chairs the combined authority board and represents the region on national bodies, such as the M10 group of metro mayors. The mayoralty is based at the authority's headquarters at 16 Summer Lane in Birmingham.

Category:Combined authorities in England Category:West Midlands (region) Category:Local government in the West Midlands (county) Category:2016 establishments in England