Andy Street joins other Metro Mayors in calling for further devolution

Andy Street with fellow Metro Mayors and key officials in Manchester to discuss further devolution for the English regions

Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street and the country’s other directly-elected regional Mayors have met in Manchester to discuss the positive impact of devolution and the next steps they should seek to agree with Government to strengthen devolved powers.

The M9 group welcomed the announcement made by the Chancellor about plans for a White Paper on further devolution in England, and called on the Government to use this opportunity to take devolution to the next level.

The Mayors, who met in Manchester yesterday (Monday) discussed the need for a framework for devolution, setting out an agreed set of principles for the next phase of the devolution journey alongside agreement of new powers devolved to the places they represent.

They also called on Government to use the White Paper to transfer responsibilities, accountability and resources to deliver new powers.

Alongside a Devolution White Paper, Mayors also called on Government to take a place-based approach to the 2020 Spending Review, ensuring devolution is an underpinning principle of long-term spending plans for the country.

Andy Street said: “The value of devolution is there for all to see. In the West Midlands we are seeing record economic growth, record house building, record investment in our public transport, and record numbers in work.

“I truly believe that none of this would have been possible without the creation of the region’s Combined Authority and its devolved powers.

“But devolution to date has been fragmented and partial, and there is so much more we as mayors can achieve with greater powers at our disposal.

“Our cities and regions offer huge opportunities for the UK, but we need to be allowed to unleash our full potential. We cannot do this without further devolution and I, alongside the other mayors, will continue lobbying government for a place-based approach to next year’s Spending Review.”

Other Mayors at the meeting included Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester; Tim Bowles, West of England; Jamie Driscoll, North of Tyne; Sadiq Khan, London; James Palmer, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire and Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region.

Mayors Ben Houchen, Tees Valley and Dan Jarvis, Sheffield City Region were not at the meeting but endorsed the joint statement of the M9 group.