Foreword
About the WMCA
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) was created through a devolution deal in 2016, where central government in Westminster gave us powers and money to improve the lives of people in the West Midlands by ‘propelling the economy to further growth’ in the context of international, national and regional challenges – including a skill deficit, legacy of worklessness, public service challenges and connectivity. We are a partnership between 18 local authorities and other bodies including Local Enterprise Partnerships, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority. We have seven constituent local authority members who make up the WMCA Board.
We take on a range of roles to deliver on
our shared regional ambitions, ensuring that our activity builds on work at a local level, led by local authorities. In some areas we are responsible for delivery of services (e.g., regional public transport and the provision of adult skills), while in other areas we convene and guide the work of partners (e.g., developing economic strategy to support regional businesses and unlocking sites for housing and regeneration schemes). We also play an advocacy role, amplifying the voice partners in the region to solve shared challenges.
Our vision is that of a “more prosperous and better connected West Midlands which is fairer, greener and healthier”.
Our Corporate Aims and Objectives (2022-24) outline six aims to help realise this vision:
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Promoting inclusive economic growth in every corner of the region
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Ensuring everyone has the opportunity to benefit
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Connecting our communities by delivering transport and unlocking housing and regeneration schemes
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Reducing carbon emissions to net zero and enhancing the environment
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Securing new resources and powers from local government, and
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Developing our organisation and our role as a good regional partner
Foreword by Chief Executive
I am delighted to present the West Midlands Combined Authority’s 2022-24 Equity and Inclusion Scheme. The scheme sets out our vision, ambitions and proposed objectives for promoting inclusion and tackling inequity over the next three years. Our Scheme is supported by an action plan and is fully aligned within our wider Corporate Strategy, which was agreed and published in November 2021.
An inclusive West Midlands economy where everyone can thrive is fundamental to our vision. If we are to realise our vision of improving the quality of life of everyone who lives and works in the region, it is vital that equality, diversity, inclusion and equity are our guiding principles. We can only make a real and valuable difference to the quality of people’s lives by embedding equalities in everything that we do.
The scale of the regional equality challenge means that we need to be bold, think outside the box, listen to what our residents and communities are telling us and work collaboratively to turn the tide.
We will also continue to strive to diversify our workforce ensuring it fully reflects the diversity of our residents. We will use the collective experience of that diverse workforce to deliver a high-quality service that meets the needs and expectations of all communities.
We will be putting our Strategic equity plan into practice over the next three years. It is vital we meet the equitable objectives we set out in this plan to maintain the confidence of all the communities we serve.
We all have a role to play in realising our equality vision and we can each influence this through our work, our behaviour, and our interactions with others.
I am looking forward to working with staff, partners and key regional stakeholders to make a difference to people’s lives in the region
Laura Shoaf Chief Executive