"We can prosper together" - Mayors call for funding to help build future

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and his counterparts Sadiq Khan, from London and Andy Burnham, from Greater Manchester, have joined forces to urge ministers to free up more cash for new infrastructure.

The meeting at Birmingham's New Street station signalled the launch of Lord Adonis' Infrastructure Commission report, which looks at the developmental needs of areas across the country.

And the three mayors were united in their insistence that there should be no competition between regions for funding.

Labour Mayor Mr Khan, who was mobbed by selfie hunters when he arrived at the station, said: "The point we want to make is that investment in one region is not at the expense of another.

"We are making the case to the Government that we think there should be greater investment in infrastructure that will lead to increased growth, which in turn means a return on investment.

"It is a win-win. As Mayors across the country we are united in our wish to get increased investment in infrastructure."

Conservative Andy Street said there was 'a real symbolism' about the report being launched in the West Midlands.

"This could so easily be seen as people thinking the south east is the most important region in the country," he said.

"The other Mayors coming here reflects the fact that this is not the case, and that investment is critical to all of our big city regions.

"Where there is common cause we will work together.

"For example, when it comes to winning the case for devolving skills budgets...we will work together, whether it be a Conservative mayor here in the West Midlands or a Labour one up in Manchester."

Labour's Mr Burnham said: "As mayors there are lots of things that we have in common in terms of getting the investment that we all need to build our economies moving forward."

He added that there was a need to 'rebalance the country' by shifting the focus of new developments away from the south east.

"In some areas we haven't had our fair share of of infrastructure investment over many decades and consequently our economies haven't reached their full potential," he said.

"This is the time for that to change."

The three mayors were later joined by James Palmer, the Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, and West of England Mayor Tim Bowles for a meeting at the University of Birmingham.

The commission's report called for improved broadband speeds, better transport connectivity across the West Midlands and stressed the importance of housing investment.