The City Region still has a major part to play in the future of
the West Midlands, according to one of its leading campaigners.
Coventry's recent pull-out has strengthened the organisation
rather than weakened it, maintains Glyn Pitchford.
He points to Tory leader David Cameron's commitment to elected
mayors based on city regions and a report from think tank Centre
for Cities which insists cities must lead the way in reviving the
British economy.
Mr Pitchford, elected Business Voice West Midlands business
representative on the City Region board, said Centre for Cities was
urging Birmingham to show leadership. "Without Birmingham taking
that lead the region will lag behind."
He charged: "This region has some of the highest unemployment in
the country. On gross value added - effectively, regional turnover
- we are bottom of the pile.
"This region has gone nowhere in 30 years. We have got to get
our act together."
And that could best be done as a City Region.
Arguing the City Region was better off without Coventry, which
has always been looking south into Warwickshire, he said the result
was an entity more representative of the urban conurbation, which
would enable Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country to
strengthen connections.
"Now the link with Coventry has been severed we can concentrate
getting opportunities working through. The City Region is stronger
as a result."
And he threw out a plea to business.
"The business sector needs to understand what a City Region is
capable of doing and join with it to turn the West Midlands
round."