This Mayoral election is potentially the most important since the West Midlands Mayor and West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) were created.
After seven years, we can really see whether they are making a difference to the lives of people across the conurbation.
Too little has changed in the last seven years, in fact many things have got worse. Many communities are even more left behind and forgotten than they were, people still don’t have a say in decisions which affect them and we’re still not seeing the action we need on tackling the climate crisis.
I am campaigning to make sure that the Mayor and WMCA works for and listens to the people of the West Midlands. Too many people don’t know what it does or that it even exists. I want to give communities a stronger say in how it spends your money and what it does for you.
I want to change how the WMCA works so there is more oversight on what it does, both from elected representatives and the public, so you have a stronger voice in its priorities.
I want to ensure that no one and nowhere is left behind in the West Midlands. Since the WMCA was formed the map and levels of deprivation across the West Midlands have still barely changed. The West Midlands is the worst region in the country for child poverty.
I will invest more in our left-behind communities, strengthening and supporting local organisations, investing in local services and facilities, building more genuinely affordable housing, and creating jobs and business opportunities locally.
The action we’ve seen on tackling the climate crisis has been far too slow. I’ll prioritise a programme of mass retrofitting of people’s homes to bring down energy bills, reduce emissions and create green jobs. Too many people are still having to choose between heating and eating.
I will work with councils to bring public transport back into public control, to ensure all areas are well served and fares are affordable. A cheap and efficient public transport system will help to decongest our roads, reducing deaths from air pollution and reducing journey times.
A vote for me sends a message: we need a Mayor that gives the public a say on what decisions are made and why, focuses on investment in our left behind communities, and takes much more urgent action on the climate crisis.
