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City devolution

Viva la Wolvolution

Few city regions are ready for the powers their leaders crave

WOLVERHAMPTON, a poor city in the West Midlands, and Solihull, a rich suburb 30 miles (48km) to its east, do not have much in common. But on one thing their residents seem to agree. When asked whether they want to be part of a large combined authority with Birmingham, the biggest city in the region, many appear unenthusiastic. Wolverhampton's residents fear that Birmingham, which glitters with modern office blocks, would take all the money. In Solihull, locals worry that their pretty suburb would be ruined by more bureaucracy. “There would be a march in the street,” says Nicki Sumpter, a mother of two, only half-joking.

Most big city regions are lobbying for more powers from the government in the form of “combined authorities”. In his autumn statement on December 3rd George Osborne, the chancellor of the exchequer, confirmed his support for a “northern powerhouse” and for the idea of more powers, including a “metro mayor” for Greater Manchester, which became the first such combined authority in 2011. He said he is open to others doing the same. In November politicians in Birmingham and the four councils west of it, loosely known as the Black Country, announced they would try to form a combined authority. Public antipathy to the idea will not be the only reason they will struggle.

Part of the reason why Greater Manchester has done so well is its remarkably stable political leadership: both Sir Richard Leese, its leader, and Sir Howard Bernstein, its chief executive, have been in their jobs for nearly 20 years. Its history helps, as does its geography, points out Jon Neale from Jones Lang LaSalle, a property consultancy.The city of Manchester was once the centre of the cotton trade for a series of satellite towns. “All roads lead to it,” says Mr Neale. Deindustrialisation across the whole area, rather than just parts of it, in the 1960s spurred on councils to work together more effectively.

No other region has the same level of political collaboration, points out Phillip Blond of ResPublica, a think-tank. In the West Midlands the problems seem acute. The idea of bringing together the Black Country with Birmingham has been mooted in vain before, as councillors squabbled over the name “Greater Birmingham”. The two areas, both with around 1m residents, are distinct: the Black Country is dominated by large metal-bashing sites while Birmingham is mostly full of offices. Unlike Manchester, a Labour stronghold, politics in the West Midlands is easily changeable, with several marginal seats. This makes it harder for councils to work together. Solihull, a Conservative council, has been invited to join the combined authority, but has not seemed keen.

City leaders are anxious not to be left out by Mr Osborne's proposals, suggests Daniel Wainwright, a journalist with the Wolverhampton Express & Star. But despite the urgency to push this through, local politicians seem unclear about what form the combined authority will take and what it will achieve. Some see it as a way to boost underperforming areas with extra cash; others as a way to streamline services. And most local politicians still dislike the idea of a metro mayor. Part of the problem is that “there isn't a Mr West Midlands,” bemoans Philip Calcutt, of the Black Country local enterprise partnership. Without better political leadership, devolution will remain a distant prospect.