Business leaders welcome Coventry’s combined authority move

BUSINESS leaders in the region have welcomed Coventry City Council moving closer to joining a combined authority.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) said the agreement by the Labour controlling group at a meeting on Tuesday night to move towards joining forces with Birmingham was “a brave and historic step”.

Four Black Country councils and Birmingham City Council have already agreed to create a combined authority and Coventry Council will now aim to follow in their footsteps. A statement from Coventry City Council states that it also anticipates Solihull will join the group.

The council has also stated its desire to have councils from Warwickshire join the proposed authority – although specific councils have not been mentioned.

Greg Lowson, president of Birmingham Chamber, said: “This is an important milestone in the history of the West Midlands. 

“Businesses in the region will fully support this move, not least because the Chancellor has made it abundantly clear that only combined authorities will be given increased powers, including those relating to economic development, transport and skills.

“Already a combined West Midlands authority feels like a real powerhouse with involvement from the Black Country and Coventry and we now urge Solihull to follow suit.

“The business community is ready to throw its weight behind the hard work that must be started immediately to drive ahead to create a combined authority and to look seriously at the issue of an elected mayor.

“Birmingham’s electorate rejected the idea of an elected mayor for the city alone, as Manchester did, but a mayor could unlock even more resources for a combined authority.

“We congratulate all of the authorities for taking such swift action on this in the wake of the General Election and we are sure it will go down as a brave and historic step.”

Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Over the past year or so, it has been clear that the Government has been looking to ‘change the game’ when it comes to devolving powers to the regions.

“We said after the last Budget and the previous Autumn Statement that the way the Chancellor was talking up the so-called Northern Powerhouse it was a clear call-to-action for other regions.

“We welcome this bold decision from political leadership in Coventry and look forward to further mature political discussions across the region.

“From a business perspective, seeing devolved powers to this region would be positive and a survey carried out by the British Chambers of Commerce suggests most companies feel that way.”

But Bennett warned that Coventry shouldn’t be consumed by its larger neighbour.

“I understand that this is a very sensitive political issue but this cannot be seen as a situation where Coventry and/or Warwickshire is being taken over by Birmingham,” she said.

Jonathan Browning, chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “The Midlands is the engine room of the UK economy and needs to be at the forefront of devolution across England.

“The Coventry and Warwickshire LEP supports its local uuthorities actively engaging in the discussions concerning the potential formation of a Midlands Combined Authority.

“A new combined authority would focus on economic growth, regeneration, skills and transport.

“Engaging in these discussions is what business expects as the local authorities examine the economic uplift that can come with greater devolution.

“The Coventry and Warwickshire LEP has made great strides across our particular area and it is essential that we remain at the forefront of growth in the region for the good of all our businesses and communities.

“Irrespective of the final outcome of these discussions, it is essential that Coventry and Warwickshire is actively involved to fully understand what is on the table.”