Solihull may join combined council talks

Solihull's full council will debate the proposal to join the other councils for talks

Solihull has moved closer to joining the proposal for a West Midlands combined authority.

Bob Sleigh, leader of Solihull council, said he intended to seek its approval for talks in principle.

The councils controlling Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Dudley have backed the combined authority proposal.

Cities may be in line for new housing, transport, planning and policing powers if they sign up for devolution plans.

In Greater Manchester, leaders of 10 councils work together as part of combined authority and there are plans to elect a mayor for the entire area in two years - Chancellor George Osborne said it should become a blueprint for other large cities.

Labour claimed the government's "piecemeal approach" could mask big cuts to local councils' spending.

John Lamb from Birmingham Chamber of Commerce said he was concerned the West Midlands was "being left behind" by Manchester and a combined authority would be an opportunity to turn the area into an "economic powerhouse".

"I have not heard of a timeline yet, but we hope it happens soon.

"[Manchester] are well ahead of us and we must catch up and capitalise on the tremendous businesses we have in the West Midlands."

On 14 July Solihull's full council will debate the plan to join other West Midlands authorities in talks over a proposed combined authority.

Birmingham has one of the largest local authorities in Europe

Mr Sleigh said he told full council he intended to seek approval "for taking forward detailed discussions in principle" to support a combined authority.

He said to achieve Solihull's ambition for sustainable economic growth, the borough "needs a high-performing regional platform of a scale and geography that attracts the significant inward investment needed to satisfy that ambition".

Council leaders have previously said the combined authority, which could serve four million people, would help attract investment worth hundreds of millions of pounds.