Mayor of the West Midlands

Chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority

Mayor of the West Midlands

Incumbent
Richard Parker

since 6 May 2024

West Midlands Combined Authority
Style| Mayor[1]
Member of| West Midlands Combined Authority
Seat| 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham
Appointer| Electorate of West Midlands
by first past the post
Term length| 4 years
Constituting instrument| Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016
Inaugural holder| Andy Street
Formation| 8 May 2017
Deputy| TBA
Salary| £79,000[2]
Website| West Midlands Combined Authority - The Mayor

The mayor of the West Midlands is a directly elected political post who chairs the West Midlands Combined Authority, covering the local authorities serving Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

The most recent election took place on Thursday 2 May 2024. Richard Parker took his post as mayor after defeating former incumbent Andy Street by 1,508 votes.[3]

The previous election was delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[4] so the inaugural mayoral 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.[5]

## Powers and functions

[edit]

### Homes and Land

[edit]

The mayor has devolved compulsory purchase powers and is responsible for the West Midlands spatial framework and land commission.

### Transport

[edit]

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.[6] 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.[7]

### Devolution

[edit]

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.[8]

The mayor is a member of the Mayoral Council for England and the Council of the Nations and Regions.

### Police and crime commissioner

[edit]

The mayor was to be vested with the police and crime commissioner functions for the West Midlands Police area from 7 May 2024. Due to an appeal by the current west Midlands PCC, the PCC powers was not be given to the West Midlands mayor.[9]

## List of mayors

[edit]

Colour key
(for political parties)

Conservative

Labour

Name  | Picture  | Term of office  | Elected  | Political party  | Previous occupations

|
|
|
|
|

| Andy Street |  | 8 May 2017  | 5 May 2024  | 2017
2021 | Conservative | Former managing director of John Lewis
| Richard Parker |  | 6 May 2024  | Incumbent | 2024 | Labour and Co-operative | Former strategy consultant and partner of PwC

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, s 107A(5)
2. ^ Elkes, Neil (22 February 2017). "Find out how much the West Midlands Mayor will be paid". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
3. ^ "Who is the new West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker?". 4 May 2024.
4. ^ Gibbons, Brett (13 March 2020). "Coronavirus forces delay to local elections with polls postponed for a year". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
5. ^ "Coronavirus Act 2020". legislation.gov.uk. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
6. ^ "WMCA Devolution Agreement: Key Points" (PDF). West Midlands Combined Authority. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
7. ^ "Freight & Highways". Transport for West Midlands. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
8. ^ "West Midlands Combined Authority - FAQs". West Midlands Combined Authority. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
9. ^ Pilgrim, Tom (22 March 2024). "Home Office loses appeal bid over West Midlands policing powers merger ruling". The Standard. ESI Media. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.

* v
* t
* e

Ceremonial county of West Midlands

Metropolitan districts|

* City of Birmingham
* City of Coventry
* Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
* Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell
* Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
* Metropolitan Borough of Walsall
* City of Wolverhampton

Major settlements
(cities in italics)|

* Aldridge
* Bilston
* Birmingham
* Bloxwich
* Bournville
* Brierley Hill
* Brownhills
* Chelmsley Wood
* Coseley
* Coventry
* Darlaston
* Dorridge
* Dudley
* Edgbaston
* Erdington
* Fordbridge
* Gornal
* Halesowen
* Kingshurst
* Kingswinford
* Knowle
* Longbridge
* Lye
* Netherton
* Oldbury
* Pelsall
* Pensnett
* Quarry Bank
* Rowley Regis
* Blackheath
* Cradley Heath
* Old Hill
* Rowley
* Tividale
* Sedgley
* Selly Oak
* Shirley
* Smethwick
* Smith's Wood
* Solihull
* Stourbridge
* Streetly
* Sutton Coldfield
* Tipton
* Walsall
* Wednesbury
* Wednesfield
* West Bromwich
* Willenhall
* Wolverhampton
* Wordsley
See also: West Midlands

Rivers|

* River Blythe
* River Cole
* River Penk
* River Rea
* Saredon Brook
* Smestow Brook
* River Sherbourne
* River Sow
* River Sowe
* River Stour
* River Tame

Canals|

* Birmingham Canal Navigations
* Shropshire Union Canal
* Staffordshire & Worcestershire
* Worcester & Birmingham

Topics|

* Places
* Population of major settlements
* Parliamentary constituencies
* SSSIs
* Country houses
* Grade I listed buildings
* Grade II* listed buildings
* Scheduled monuments
* Conservation areas
* History
* Lord Lieutenants
* High Sheriffs
* Museums

Black Country
* Birmingham Airport
* Coventry/Bedworth Urban Area
* Transport for West Midlands
* West Midlands conurbation
* West Midlands Combined Authority
* Mayor of the West Midlands
* West Midlands Police

* v
* t
* e

Combined authorities and combined county authorities in England

Legislation|

* Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009
* Localism Act 2011
* Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016
* Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023
* English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Current|

* Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (Mayor)
* Devon and Torbay
* East Midlands (Mayor)
* Greater Lincolnshire (Mayor)
* Greater Manchester (Mayor)
* Hull and East Yorkshire (Mayor)
* Lancashire
* Liverpool City Region (Mayor)
* North East (Mayor)
* South Yorkshire (Mayor)
* Tees Valley (Mayor)
* West of England (Mayor)
* West Midlands (Mayor)
* West Yorkshire (Mayor)
* York and North Yorkshire (Mayor)

Approved|

* Greater Essex
* Hampshire and the Solent

Proposed|

* Heart of Wessex

Defunct|

* North of Tyne (Mayor)
* North East (non-mayoral)

* v
* t
* e

Directly elected mayoralties in England

Current|

| London|

* London

|

Combined authorities|

* Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
* East Midlands
* Greater Lincolnshire
* Greater Manchester
* Hull and East Yorkshire
* Liverpool City Region
* North East
* South Yorkshire
* Tees Valley
* West of England
* West Midlands
* West Yorkshire
* York and North Yorkshire

Local authorities|

* Bedford
* Croydon
* Doncaster
* Hackney
* Leicester
* Lewisham
* Mansfield
* Middlesbrough
* Newham
* North Tyneside
* Salford
* Tower Hamlets
* Watford

Former|

| Combined authorities|

* North of Tyne

|

Local authorities|

* Bristol
* Copeland
* Hartlepool
* Liverpool
* Stoke-on-Trent
* Torbay

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template