Structure
West Midlands Region
The West Midlands Combined Authority region has a population of approximately 2.8 million, with population growth sitting at 13.2% since 2002. With a growing population and economy, the West Midlands is considered a ‘hot spot’ for modern slavery; there were almost 300 potential victims of modern slavery (of which two thirds were children) throughout the region in 2018.
WMCA Organisational Structure
West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is a legal body with powers of decision making granted by parliament. The organisation consists of eighteen local authorities and three Local Authority Enterprises (LEPs) who are working collaboratively to devolve powers from Whitehall to the West Midlands and our locally elected politicians. Individual councils still deliver services and retain their identity but on the big decisions we have the resources to work together. WMCA have a number of key priorities: economic growth, skills, transport and housing alongside reforming public services and reducing the regions welfare bill. West Midlands Combined Authority acknowledges its responsibility as a first responder under Section 52 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, to report all instances when they have reasonable grounds to believe a person may be a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking to the Secretary of State.