Mayor of the West Midlands
The Mayor of the West Midlands is a directly elected political post responsible for the metropolitan county of the West Midlands in the United Kingdom. The mayor chairs the West Midlands Combined Authority, which covers the Birmingham metropolitan area and Coventry.
| Mayor of the West Midlands | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Style | Mr Mayor |
| Appointer | Electorate of West Midlands |
| Term length | Four years |
| Inaugural holder | Andy Street |
| Formation | Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 |
| Salary | £79,000[1] |
| Website | www |
The first election took place on Thursday 4 May 2017. Andy Street, the inaugural Mayor, was originally due to hold office for three years, with the second election for the post taking place in May 2020. This election was delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[2] so Street's first term was extended by a year, with the second term length being reduced to three years between 2021 and 2024. The Mayor's term of office will return to four years from 2024 thereafter.[3]
Powers and functions
Homes and Land
The Mayor has devolved compulsory purchase powers, and is responsible for the West Midlands spatial framework and land commission.
Transport
The Mayor is responsible for franchised bus services, allowing for standardised fares and branding on all bus services in the county, similar to how London's bus network operates.[4] The Mayor is also responsible for the West Midlands Key Route Network, which is managed by Transport for West Midlands on behalf of the Mayor.[5]
Devolution
The Mayor is responsible for ensuring that the first devolution deal is put into action and acts on behalf of the region in negotiating future devolution deals with central government.[6]
List of Mayors
| Colour key (for political parties) |
|---|
| Name | Picture | Term of office | Elected | Political party | Previous occupations | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Street |  |
8 May 2017 | Incumbent | 2017 | Conservative | Former managing director of John Lewis | |
References
- Elkes, Neil (22 February 2017). "Find out how much the West Midlands Mayor will be paid". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- Gibbons, Brett (13 March 2020). "Coronavirus forces delay to local elections with polls postponed for a year". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
- "Coronavirus Act 2020". legislation.gov.uk. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
- "WMCA Devolution Agreement: Key Points" (pdf). West Midlands Combined Authority. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- "Freight & Highways". Transport for West Midlands. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- "West Midlands Combined Authority - FAQs". West Midlands Combined Authority. Retrieved 27 February 2017.