Warwick District Council votes against being member of West Midlands Combined Authority

On Wednesday the Warwick District Council members voted against becoming a non-constituent member of a West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) on the current terms offered.

Like with Warwickshire County Council, the majority of councillors would instead prefer to be part of a combined authority for Coventry and Warwickshire and are waiting to see whether or not the West Midlands authority develops as currently envisaged.

The council will also seek a review of the current joint committee covering Coventry and Warwickshire and Hinckley and Bosworth ‘to enhance and maintainthe strong local economic, housing and planning links and the local authority input into the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Economic Partnership (LEP)’.

Councillors also agreed for the authority to participate in proposals for public sector reform in

the sub region or Warwickshire should it receive an invitation to do so from the Warwickshire County Council or should any improved proposals be offered by the WMCA.

Before the meeting, Warwick District Labour Group said it felt very strongly that the WMCA is the only realistic option that has been put forward and is the most logical in terms of geography and economic viability.

The group’s leader Cllr John Barrott said: “We must be part of a wider discussion and join the WMCA or risk being left out of any benefits this might hold in future.”