Andy Street (politician)

Andy Street (politician)
Name	Andy Street
Birth date	1963-05-30
Birth place	Solihull, West Midlands, England
Nationality	British
Occupation	Politician; Businessman
Party	Conservative Party
Alma mater	University of Birmingham
Office	Mayor of the West Midlands
Term start	2017

Andy Street (politician) is a British politician and former businessman who has served as Mayor of the West Midlands since 2017. He previously worked at John Lewis Partnership where he rose to executive leadership, and he has been a prominent figure in regional devolution, transport, regeneration and Commonwealth Games planning. Street is affiliated with the Conservative Party and has been involved in national and regional policy debates involving UK Parliament-level actors and devolved authorities.

Early life and education

Born in Solihull, West Midlands, Street was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham and studied at the University of Birmingham, where he read politics and economics. During his student years he engaged with local organisations and regional business initiatives connected to institutions such as Birmingham City Council and networks linking to West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive stakeholders. Street's upbringing in Warwickshire-adjacent communities influenced contacts across Birmingham and Coventry civic circles.

Business career

Street joined the John Lewis Partnership and built a career spanning retail management, property development and corporate strategy. He served as managing director of John Lewis from 2007 to 2016, overseeing operations in stores across Birmingham and regional locations including Nottingham and Leeds. In that role he engaged with organisations such as the British Retail Consortium, UK Trade & Investment stakeholders, and municipal partners including Birmingham City Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and Wolverhampton City Council on urban regeneration and retail-led development schemes. Street worked with private-sector firms, property developers like Hammerson and Landsec, and infrastructure planners connected to bodies such as Network Rail and Highways England on transport-access projects and retail catchment strategies.

Political career

Street moved from corporate leadership to regional politics while maintaining links with national actors including Prime Ministers from both Conservative administrations and coalition partners. He was selected as the Conservative candidate for the newly created West Midlands mayoralty, an office arising from the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 settlement and devolution discussions involving the West Midlands Combined Authority. During campaigns he engaged with figures from across the political spectrum, negotiating powers and finance with ministers in the Department for Communities and Local Government and liaising with leaders from Labour local authorities and combined authority members from Staffordshire and Shropshire adjacent authorities.

Mayor of the West Midlands

Elected as Mayor of the West Midlands in 2017, Street chairs the West Midlands Combined Authority and works with council leaders from Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Solihull. His mayoralty intersects with national infrastructure bodies including Transport for West Midlands, Network Rail, and Highways England to deliver projects such as mass transit proposals, rail electrification schemes affecting Birmingham New Street and integration with the HS2 programme. Street also coordinated regional preparations that connected to the Commonwealth Games bid architecture and engaged with organisations such as Sport England and UK Sport on event legacy planning.

Policies and initiatives

Street has focused on transport investment, economic growth, skills and regeneration. He has championed projects involving light rail extensions, West Midlands Metro expansion, and bus franchising models interacting with operators regulated under the Transport Act 1985 framework and local franchising proposals in the spirit of post-devolution transport powers. His skills agenda included partnerships with further education colleges such as Birmingham Metropolitan College and universities including the University of Birmingham, Aston University, and Coventry University to boost apprenticeships and technical education aligned with employers such as Jaguar Land Rover and Cadbury-linked manufacturers in the Black Country. Street promoted inward investment campaigns working with trade bodies such as the Confederation of British Industry and Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, and regional regeneration schemes tied to brownfield redevelopment by developers like Muse Developments and St. Modwen Properties.

Street also led on climate resilience and clean growth initiatives, aligning with national frameworks like the UK Industrial Strategy and collaborating with energy stakeholders including National Grid and regional clean-tech firms. He engaged in housing and planning discussions with the Homes England executive and local planning authorities on brownfield development and affordable housing programmes.

Electoral history

Street won the inaugural West Midlands mayoral election in 2017, defeating opponents affiliated with Labour and smaller parties, in a contest drawing attention from national leaders including Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn. He contested re-election in subsequent cycles, campaigning against candidates from Labour, Liberal Democrats, and independents with platforms focused on regional powers and transport funding linked to HM Treasury settlement rounds. His elections reflected dynamics in constituencies across Birmingham Edgbaston, Solihull, and Black Country wards influenced by national trends and local authority cooperation.

Personal life and honours

Street is married and active in civic organisations and charitable trusts associated with cultural bodies such as the Birmingham Royal Ballet and institutions like the Birmingham Museums Trust. He has received civic recognitions from local authorities including mayoral and business awards tied to retail leadership and regional development. Street's public profile has led to media appearances on outlets such as the BBC and engagements with think tanks including the Institute for Public Policy Research and Policy Exchange on devolution and regional strategy.

Category:People from Solihull Category:Mayors of the West Midlands