Meriden MP, Dame Caroline Spelman, convened a meeting of West Midlands Conservative MPs to lobby the Chancellor ahead of next week’s budget about support for further devolution to the West Midlands region and its new Combined Authority.
The MP’s requests for more devolution included; a request to extend the West Midlands Metro to Brierley Hill, greater resources to help remediate land to build housing in the Black Country (which would take pressure off regional demand for the Green Belt - including in the Borough of Solihull), and extra resources to improve the skills of young people through the Apprenticeship Levy & FE colleges.
Solihull’s MP, Julian Knight, used the meeting to encourage further support and investment into automotive research for new driverless and electric car technology.