£900m to fund infrastructure and training schemes
A budget of more than £900million, including funding for infrastructure, regeneration and job training schemes, has been approved by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
The 2021/22 WMCA budget includes a package of major transport projects to help drive economic growth and cleaner air as well as funding to transform the derelict industrial sites for new, energy efficient homes and jobs.
An Adult Education Budget (AEB) of £142million, the biggest of any UK region outside London, will be used to give people, especially those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, the skills needed to get back into work quickly and to secure jobs in growing sectors such as construction, digital and the emerging green industries.
The approved budget includes £363million for the WMCA 's transport arm, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM). Funding will support the expansion of the Metro scheme, opening of new railway lines and stations and the development of the Sprint rapid bus network.
In addition, there will be £11million available for subsidised bus services, £7million for Ring and Ride and nearly £4million to enhance transport for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
More than £116million is committed for housing and land projects and in particular the WMCA 's 'brownfield first ' policy.
Investments, WMCA say, will accelerate the on-going transformation of former industrial sites to deliver energy efficient, affordable new homes and modern commercial premises for businesses to grow and create jobs.
Around £120million in capital grants will be allocated to local authorities to help fund major infrastructure projects with significant investment in Coventry (Station Masterplan, City Centre South, Very Light Rail, City of Culture), Solihull (UK Central Programme) and Birmingham including £20million for the Commonwealth Games.
The £142million of skills funding will be used by the WMCA 's productivity and skills team, working closely with local authorities, to fund training courses that give people the opportunity to upskill and get back into work, with more training matched to those industries suffering skills shortages, including higher level skills.
But in approving the budget, the WMCA Board warned of the financial uncertainty caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic with recent independent research also suggesting the West Midlands could be hit harder than any other UK regional economy.
Andy Street (pictured), mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The investments outlined in this budget will help the West Midlands make significant strides towards a quick and effective recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, as well as tackling the climate emergency facing our region.
“We 're investing hundreds of millions of pounds in our green public transport network, with zero carbon and Sprint buses, new rail stations, cycling infrastructure, and of course Metro extensions - with almost £100million alone being spent over the next year on the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension.
“Meanwhile more than £116million is being spent on the remediation of derelict brownfield land, saving acres of greenbelt from development, and we 're investing £142m to level up our skills, getting us ready for the huge boost in the green jobs of the future as we look to help get people into work.
“What these investments will do is help to create and protect jobs at what is such a critical time for many people 's livelihoods, whilst also helping us on our way to becoming carbon neutral by 2041.
“We are managing to deliver all of this without costing the taxpayer any more money, as this will be the fourth year in a row where we have not introduced a mayoral precept, meaning not an extra penny from us will be added to people 's council tax bills. ”