Questioner Eddie Morton is asked to respond to what he’s heard and says 21,000 social homes were sold and only 7,000 built in Birmingham under the previous housing strategy.

He said the candidates’ pledges would not counter those numbers.

Elizabeth Glinka asks candidates how they would address what he called the negative impact of Right to Buy.

The government scheme allows council tenants to buy their council home at a discount, but critics think it makes the system more unequal at a time of housing shortages.

Our chair Elizabeth Glinka goes through the panel asking each of the candidate if they are for or against Right to Buy.

Ms Harper-Nunes says she is ambivalent. Mr Street is in favour.

Mr Parker, Mr Virk and Ms Williams say they agree with the scheme in principle but want it paused while dwindling housing stocks are replenished.

Just to be clear, the mayor has no powers to decide Right to Buy.

The idea of building on former industrial land or brownfield sites has proved a hit with the candidates so far.

We already know Mr Street is a fan but they have also been mentioned by Mr Parker and Mr Virk this evening.

Now Ms Williams for the Reform Party says they are part of her plans too.

"People shouldn't be homeless in this day and age," she says. "Everyone has the right to decent accommodation."

On that theme, Mr Parker said the current mayor had not spent £250m of his housing resources and had managed to build just 46 social homes in eight years.

“That’s not policy failure, it’s a dereliction of duty,” he said.

Instead, he pledged to build 2,000 units of social housing every year and up to 20,000 by the end of the decade.

During the exchange on housing, Richard Parker outlines a recent visit he made to a school in Handsworth.

He said one of the children and their mother had been temporarily evicted overnight as the landlord wanted to make repairs and the teachers had stepped in to raise money to put the family up in a hotel for a week as they had nowhere else to go.

Mr Virk, for the Liberal Democrats, says his party has budgeted for 150,000 social and affordable homes across the UK.

He added he wanted to make sure the existing housing stock was up to scratch and had adequate insulation.

On affordable homes, he said their price should be tied specifically to the wages of key workers.

If elected, he explains he will set up citizen assemblies to inform housing policy.

"They will bicker all the time," he says, taking aim at Mr Street and Mr Parker.

"The only sensible credible approach is to vote Liberal Democrat. It's the only thing that will shake things up."

Andy Street defended his house building strategy, saying he had doubled the number of homes being built and added the region was the only one in England hitting its targets and he was also protecting the green belt.

However, he said that had not previously included social housing, because it was not part of the West Midlands Combined Authority remit.

Mr Street said new powers he had negotiated meant an extra £400m for social home building. He wants small businesses involved as well as big companies and says funding is secured for 50,000 homes to be retrofitted.

Eddy Morton, the director of a community development trust in Birmingham, asks the candidates how they are going to address housing inequalities, saying 4,000 families were in temporary accommodation in Birmingham alone.

Ms Harper-Nunes for the Greens says significant investment is needed in building social housing and affordable housing.

She notes 650 homes were retrofitted in Balsall Heath in just one year.

It didn't cost residents anything, she adds, but claims government grants were poorly advertised and difficult to get hold of.

We're still talking about bankrupt Birmingham and council finances.

Mr Parker attempts to emphasise his sound financial credentials, saying he studied economics and is an accountant by trade.

"You can trust me with the numbers," he says.

He said 70 councils could be following Birmingham into a section 114 next year because of government cuts.

But then Mr Street challenges him, accusing him of not explaining why Birmingham is "uniquely different".

Mr Street says nobody has ever been charged a penny of mayoral council tax at a time when Birmingham City Council is raising bills.

"You wanted to in 2018. You're being disingenuous," Mr Parker bites back.

"But it never happened," Mr Street responds.

The Green Party's Siobhan Harper-Nunes says Birmingham City Council has made mistakes but points out severe cuts in funding for councils across the West Midlands.

She said the UK had the worst housing stock in Europe.

Reform UK's Elaine Williams describes the local authority's situation as tragic and says it can't happen in anywhere else.

Then Liberal Democrat candidate Sunny Virk then comes out firing, claiming no candidates have provided any answers.

But he's challenged by an audience member who asks what specifically he would do.

"I would meet every other local authority here and I would ensure every year the budgets are balanced," he responds.

However, he agrees with Mr Parker that there had been "chronic underfunding" of councils.

Labour candidate Richard Parker gets us started.

He says mistakes have been made by Birmingham’s Labour administration but blames central government cuts for damaging communities.

As mayor, he says he wants to fast-track planning, establish a brownfield fund and develop an industrial strategy.

Conservative candidate Andy Street says the situation in Birmingham is unique, because of the equal pay claims, but calling the financial crisis the result of a failure of local authority leadership.

The incumbent mayor defends his record, saying he will continue getting investment into the region.

"I've been the one talking to CEOs from Sydney to Mumbai,” he says.

If you want to watch the debate and hear what the candidates say for yourself while you're enjoying our live coverage, click on the play button above.

There is a live studio audience that will be taking the candidates to task on their promises and pledges ahead of next Thursday’s poll.

They will be asking questions about housing, small businesses, transport and arts.

But the first question comes from Mike Jordan, who wants to know what Birmingham City Council’s effective bankruptcy means for the wider region.

Our debate is getting under way now.

BBC Midlands’ Elizabeth Glinka is chairing proceedings this evening.

She’ll have the job of keeping the candidates under control as they debate vital issues affecting millions across the region.

Joshua Nevett
Political reporter, BBC CWR

As the second largest city in the West Midlands, Coventry is a big focal point. So what are the key issues there?

Very Light Rail: A plan to build a Very Light Rail (VLR) tram system is being supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority. The government has approved money to test VLR. But the next mayor will be under pressure to get a passenger service up and running.

Gigafactory: Thousands of jobs at a new electric car battery have long been promised to Coventry. But as yet, no companies have invested. Can the next mayor deliver what promises to be the UK’s largest gigafactory?

City Centre South: This regeneration scheme could transform Coventry's skyline with new homes, shops and more public spaces. The combined authority has approved a £98m grant and work is due to start this year. The next mayor will oversee the project’s first phase.

The 2024 mayoral election will be the first held under the first-past-the-post method, similar to Westminster elections.

In 2021 Andy Street was elected under the supplementary method which saw voters’ second choices taken into account for the strongest two candidates (as Mr Street failed to reach 50% of vote in first round).

He had a 48.7% share of the vote after the first round in 2021, compared with Liam Byrne, who had 39.7%.

People are also being reminded they need to show photo ID at polling stations before they vote in May’s local elections.

In a hurry?

We’ve put together a guide where you can find out everything you need to know about each of the six candidates.

Have a read here.

First, it's worth looking at what the job actually involves.

The mayor represents about 2.9 million people in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

The post was created in 2017 as a condition of ministers giving additional powers and funding to the region's local authorities.

The incumbent acts as a figurehead and champion for the area, lobbying government for support.

They also lead the West Midlands Combined Authority and have power to make decisions on transport, finance, housing and skills.

For more information, our BBC Political Reporter Simon Gilbert has put together this handy guide.

Good evening and welcome to our coverage ahead of the BBC's West Midlands mayoral debate.

Voters will be heading to the polls on 2 May and tonight we'll be hearing from those vying to lead the region over the next four years.

Your candidates in the studio are: Siobhan Harper-Nunes (Greens), Richard Parker (Labour), Andy Street (Conservative), Sunny Virk (Liberal Democrats), Elaine Williams (Reform UK).

There is also an independent candidate, Akhmed Yakoob, who we will hear from a little bit later.

Stay with us for live updates throughout.