West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker outlines his plans for his second year in office

It has been a year since West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker was elected, taking over the reins from Conservative Andy Street, who had been in the role since 2017.

The result was announced on May 4, after people had been to the polls two days before, and saw him win by just 1,508 votes.

But, whilst reflecting on his year to date, Mr Parker said there were big weeks and months ahead, not least with the production of the Regional Growth Plan at the end of June.

The Mayor said: “We’ve got a really big agenda on growth. It’s a really important statement for us about the priority sectors which are going to drive our economy forward and the infrastructure investment we’re seeking to achieve.

“What are doing will be seen as being very bold, ambitious and it will demonstrate how leaders across this region are working really coherently to drive that growth agenda forward.

“The best way to succeed is through collaboration and that means not every story is about me but how we are working together.

“Irrespective of how good I might be at my job, the difference I can make working on my own is pretty limited. It has to be about working collaborately with others.

“We have a bold, ambitious plan for the region. I want that growth plan to have relevance to residents in every bit of the region and if that’s going to be the case then it’s so important that sectors such as logistics, construction, engineering, hospitality are fabric to that plan.

“For many young people in the region, those are the best routes into work.

“The only way I can improve people’s lives is giving them the best chance to get access to those jobs.”

His second year in charge should also finally see some of the major transport projects come to fruition including the creation of three new railway stations at Moseley, Kings Heath and Pineapple Road on the Camp Hill line.

A raft of schemes earmarked for completion in 2024 were delayed in the face of rising costs and shortcomings.

Mr Parker said these issues were known about before he came into office but his predecessor Andy Street rejected the claims adding he had “bequeathed to the new Mayor billions in devolved transport funding” for the projects.

Last month, it was announced the schemes were now back on track and set to meet revised timetables.

He said: “These things were known about for some time and I was left as the new mayor to talk about them.

“That was important because I had to get everyone in this organisation to refocus on a set of priorities and to focus on those projects in delivery and commit to realistic timetables to completing them.

“I’m really pleased they still continue to advise me that the commitment we made at the time about new timetables for projects would be met.

“I want to build confidence across the West Midlands that when we say we are going to do something and complete it by a certain date, we do exactly that.”