No immediate plan to add mayor bill to council tax

Richard Parker said his main priority was to secure funding for the region's transport system

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has said he will not add a mayoral precept to residents’ council tax bills in the near future.

Despite a projected funding gap of £93m in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) for 2025-26, Mr Parker said he would “explore every avenue” to make up the difference.

The regional mayor has the power to introduce a charge on all seven West Midlands councils to help pay for some of the work he does.

“I’ve been really clear in my campaign and since, I’ve got no intention of raising a precept and we only get there if there really is nowhere else to go.”

He added: "We’re not in that position at the moment but something that is really important about the precept is I can only raise a precept for functions defined as mayoral functions."

Mr Parker said transport was not considered to be a mayoral function, and therefore would not benefit from the introduction of a precept.

He said that although he considered the region’s transport system to have been underfunded when compared to other similarly sized regions, he was having discussions with the government about this.

"Those conversations are live and ongoing and we will have more details about the government support for this region in terms of our priorities around transport post 30 October," he said.

He added: "Given the lead times in levying a precept and given the legal and regulatory constraints around its use, I am able to say pretty clearly there won't be a precept in 25-26.

"The position will be reviewed but, at this point in time, I have no intention of raising a precept and we will seek to explore every other avenue to fill the funding gaps we have for this region."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.