About the West Midlands
The Mayoral Combined Authority
WMCA is a Mayoral Combined Authority and is an accountable public body established under Section 103 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. It was set up on 16 June 2016, with the mission of improving the quality of life for everyone who lives and works in the West Midlands. Its functions were provided or delegated to it by the following Orders:
- The West Midlands Combined Authority Order 2016
- The West Midlands (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017
- The West Midlands Combined Authority (Business Rate Supplements Functions and Amendments) Order 2018
- The West Midlands Combined Authority (Adult Education Functions) Order 2018
As and when Government officially devolves further powers to the Combined Authority, in order to deliver against new policy and agenda, this will be reflected in the SAF.
Regional and Local Leadership
The leadership of the WMCA disseminates from the Mayor and the seven constituent local authorities, who have full voting rights. These are:
- Birmingham City Council
- Coventry City Council
- Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
- Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
- Solihull Metropolitan Council
- Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
- City of Wolverhampton Council
There is also non-Constituent representation from Local Authorities outside of the West Midlands Constituent areas which can sign up for more than one Combined Authority. They are:
- Cannock Chase District Council
- North Warwickshire Borough Council
- Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council
- Redditch Borough Council
- Rugby Borough Council
- Shropshire Council
- Stratford-on-Avon District Council
- Tamworth Borough Council
- Telford and Wrekin Council
- Warwickshire County Council
Vision and Priorities
The WMCA vision is to build “a more prosperous and better connected West Midlands which is fairer, greener and healthier.” The WMCA does this through its Inclusive Growth Framework Fundamentals, which focuses all types of investment – public, private, capital, revenue, time, attention – on the same set of social and environmental missions.
This is expressed through the six WMCA Aims and Objectives which are operationalised through the annual business planning process.
When WMCA refreshes its near-term strategy it consults with stakeholders.