There are many priorities I have for our region – including housing, action for businesses, law and order and transport.
Local businesses are being severely affected by the introduction of arbitrary traffic restrictions which reduce public access to their businesses.
These schemes make travel around our towns and cities unnecessarily difficult. I will change these detrimental measures, invest in our town centres and revitalise our high streets to allow our businesses to flourish and thrive, and seek to encourage more businesses to invest in the West Midlands.
There are too many homes in the region where significant repairs are outstanding. I will introduce stringent checks to ensure existing tenants are living in decent accommodation, and work with housing associations to build more affordable and social homes.
I will work with industry to repurpose buildings that are no longer in use, that can be converted into housing accommodation and training centres for the homeless and our service veterans.
We are seeing unprecedented levels of crime across the West Midlands. Whilst it is not the role of the Mayor to deal with issues relating to the police, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) attends the meetings of the West Midlands Combined Authority. More measures are needed and I will work in partnership with the seven authorities and the PCC to bid for additional funding to meet these urgent needs.
With transport, we need a complete rethink on travel to deliver a fully integrated, efficient, safer and more effective transport system for the West Midlands.
Like you, I want our region to be a first class place to live and work. A vote for Elaine Williams is a vote for change and a new approach.
