The Residents’ Assembly will bring together 50 residents from across the region to deliberate and propose actions for the WMCA to help improve life for people living in the West Midlands. The Assembly will explore a range of topics including housing, jobs, inclusive economic growth and transport.
A residents’ assembly is a well‑established democratic process that brings together a randomly selected group of residents who reflect the wider community. Participants will learn about the issues, discuss them together, and then make recommendations for what should happen next.
In March 2026, the process of recruiting members of the Assembly began. Fifteen thousand letters have been sent to randomly selected addresses across the region. People who receive a letter will have until 6 April 2026 to apply to join the Assembly. A random selection process will then take place to recruit 50 people who are broadly representative of the region’s population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, geography, socio-economic status and housing tenure.
If you don’t receive a letter but are interested in finding out more about - and taking part in - community engagement and consultation, please click here to join our mailing list. please click here to join our mailing list.
The first meeting of the Assembly will take place in May 2026, with four further sessions between then and the end of 2026.
The Assembly will work with policy makers from across the WMCA, as well as other stakeholders. This means their recommendations and actions will be heard and taken forward with decision makers.
Frequently Asked Questions
The West Midlands Growth Plan is our long‑term strategy to transform the region’s economy, raise living standards, and create inclusive growth over the next decade. It includes an action to evolve the WMCA’s Residents’ Assembly.
The WMCA has facilitated a Residents’ Assembly since 2022 to involve residents in the development of its policies and programmes, with an initial focus on the environment. You can read about the previous Greener Together Citizens’ Panel here.
The Residents’ Assembly is part of our commitment to power and participation, which is about ensuring people have a voice in influencing the things that matter to them. People who have power over their own personal circumstances can shape the places where they live and spend time. Our aspiration is that people can fully participate in influencing and exercising agency in the decisions that affect their lives.
The Assembly will follow an established democratic process used across the world. It brings together a group of people selected by lottery who broadly represent the entire community. Participants will learn about the issues, discuss them with one another, and then make recommendations about what should happen and how things should change.
The WMCA was set up in 2016. Together, we are working to make the West Midlands the best place to live, work and visit. Our constituent members include the local authorities of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
The WMCA has commissioned Involve and the Sortition Foundation to support this project.
- Involve is the UK’s public participation charity, working to create a healthier and more vibrant democracy, with people at the heart of decision‑making.
- The Sortition Foundation is a not‑for‑profit organisation specialising in recruitment for these types of projects. They select participants by lottery in a way that is representative of the wider population.
Working with the Sortition Foundation, we have sent letters to 15,000 randomly selected addresses across the region using the Royal Mail address database. If you receive one of these letters, you can register your interest in taking part.
If you don’t receive a letter but are interested in finding out more about, and taking part in, community engagement and consultation, please consider joining our mailing list.
Once registration has closed, 50 people will be selected by lottery from those who registered their interest. This will be done in a way that ensures the group reflects the diversity of the region.
The first round of the Assembly will run from May to December 2026, with the aspiration that it will become a standing Assembly in the future. During this first round there will be five sessions: three in person and two online.
The WMCA is working to make the region the best place to live, work and visit. In its first year, the Assembly will focus on how we can achieve this aspiration through regional policy and strategy.
This is an opportunity for people from all walks of life, who live in and around the West Midlands, to hear from engaging speakers and discuss key issues in small groups, supported by facilitators who will ensure everyone has the chance to be heard.
Involve will write a report based on the Assembly’s recommendations. The Assembly will work alongside, and make recommendations to, the WMCA on topics including housing, economic growth, transport and employment skills.
We will use this webpage to publish all outcomes from the Assembly after each meeting. We will also share all presentations and topics discussed.
Assembly members will receive £335 to acknowledge the value of their contribution and to compensate them for their time.
We will provide internet-enabled digital devices and an internet connection for use during the Assembly meetings to those who do not have suitable access.
We can also support Assembly members to learn the IT skills needed to take part, including one to one phone calls and online introductory sessions. Technical support during Assembly meetings will also be available.
We can also support Assembly members to learn the IT skills needed to take part, including one‑to‑one phone calls and online introductory sessions. Technical support during Assembly meetings will also be available.