Coventry chamber backs new West Midlands combined authority

Plans for a new West Midlands Combined Authority have been backed by Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.

Seven authorities - Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton - want more devolved powers from the government.

The councils are aiming for the authority to be set up by April 2016 after a consultation including the government.

The chamber said it hoped money could be used for transport under the plans.

Chamber president Peter Burns said: "I think if there's going to be any money coming down from the devolution point of view, then the only way we're (going to) get it is from a combined authority.

"Hopefully that money can then be used for infrastructure, for transport, for other things.

"If we don't go down the devolution route, then that money is not going to be available at all."

Public consultation in the West Midlands, which started in July, will run until September.

The government would then carry out its own consultation process from November until January, a spokesman for the combined authorities has said.

If approved, the new council could serve four million people.

The plans follow the similar situation in Greater Manchester, where leaders of 10 councils work together as part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.