West Midlands mayor 'encouraged' by levelling up plans but says people need to see results

Millions of pounds are expected to be invested after Wolverhampton was one of only two cities earmarked for help.

But it remains unclear how much will come to the city amid claims the money is simply a recycling of existing funds.

A Government white paper sets out a series of wide-ranging national “missions” – from improving public transport to ensuring access to 5G broadband – to be enshrined in law.

Under the plans, Wolverhampton, along with Sheffield, will be the first city selected to benefit from a "radical new regeneration programme" to be prioritised for a share of a £1.5 billion Brownfield Fund.

The cash for the housing plan was allocated by the Treasury last year and is intended to give the wider West Midlands thousands of new homes.

At the same time, ministers are promising to provide more power to the regions in a “devolution revolution” with the offer of a London-style deal for any area of England that wants one.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said he was "encouraged" by the strategy.

"The Government has said this is their defining mission," he said. "It looks like a well-constructed, determined approach to address this. It has to make a difference on the ground so people in the Black Country need to see results, derelict sites being regenerated and new business investment."

He said there was no new money being announced in terms of total Government spend, but added: "What we are hearing is how the departments are spending it on places like ours."

Mr Street described it as a boost for the region, adding: "The ball is now there for us to kick in the goal."

Chief Executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, Corin Crane, added: "More money delivered by local decision-making will need to be sustained throughout the 2020s and beyond to ensure that these plans have any meaningful impact and local legacy.

"As more details emerge, we will continue to scrutinise and make sense of what they mean for Black Country businesses to ensure that local voices have a say in wealth generation which benefits our business community and wider communities.”

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove dismissed claims the money was not new, saying: “If you are in Wolverhampton or Sheffield, and you’re getting new cash to invest in your city centre, that is new money."