Black Country Chamber hails devolution but says everyone must be involved

THE Black Country Chamber of Commerce his hailed a progressive agreement which could pave the way for full devolution within the West Midlands.

Chamber Vice President Kevin Rogers, a former manufacturer, said: “We have always been concerned that Whitehall did not properly understand manufacturing. The devolution agreement enables us to take control back and invest in the areas that concern manufacturing.
 
“Transport, skills and land are top of our agenda and it is good to see that they have received top billing in the agreement with a £200 million land remediation fund and a £30m employment, education and skills programme. In addition, funding to support HS2 will also ensure that nowhere in the West Midlands is more than 40 minutes from an HS2 station.
 
“Over £5bn of transport investment over 10 years, integrated and locally controlled, will mean better integration between local and national transport networks and as a result ways to reduce congestion on the strategic road network. We have estimated that road congestion alone costs our businesses at least a third of a billion pounds a year.”
 
He said there was now a need to engage with the for million people who live in the West Midlands and to help them understand that the Combined Authority was not another layer of bureaucracy but the means by which the area could take control of people’s futures.

“Businesses will provide support and challenge but we really need to get everyone engaged,” he added.
 
“We look forward to playing our full part in this new opportunity for growth.”