'It's been the privilege of my life' - West Midland mayor writes exclusively for the Express & Star on his first anniversary in post

It’s been a year since I took office as Mayor of the West Midlands and it’s been the privilege of my life to work every day for the region that shaped me.

I didn’t come into politics through the usual route. I’d never been a politician before or ever sought election to public office. I was a businessman and a backroom dealmaker - helping organisations navigate complex challenges, cut waste and deliver real results. And that's what I promised to do when I asked for your vote. Not to play politics but to just get things done. So naturally, my first year was more about cutting red tape than ribbons.

I grew up in a working-class family, in a home where hard graft was the norm and nothing came easy. And you never quite shake the feeling that the rug could be pulled from under you at any moment - politics is turbulent these days. It’s why I never stop, because I know how quickly things can change and how hard it is to rebuild when they do. I want to go further, faster to ensure I deliver results for this region.

Twelve months in, I’ve been working behind the scenes and on the ground - cutting through bureaucracy, bringing partners together and unlocking investment to make our towns and cities stronger. Preparing the groundwork to really kick on and deliver for you over the next few years.

We’ve already supported a big expansion of social housing - a record number for the region - because I believe everyone deserves a decent, secure home. It’s so powerful to meet local people, like the young family I met in Dudley, who have moved into warm, safe council homes for the first time in their lives because we’ve focussed on delivering more of them. That’s what this job is really about.

Just last month, I stood alongside local employers launching our new skills programme that will help thousands of people get the training they need to secure good, well-paid jobs. This is on top of the other projects and schemes we’ve launched since my election - like providing skills and training for 55,000 people. And we’ve got the results to show it’s working. We’ve seen an uptick in employment - which is promising. And we’re seeing the green shoots of growth in youth employment for the first time in a decade.

We’re making real progress on transport too. We secured funding from the new Government to complete the Black Country Metro Extension - almost £300m. I pushed it because people told me they’d waited long enough. And across the Black Country, we’re improving connectivity and making public transport work for everyone - with two new railway stations in Willenhall and Darlaston to open by the end of the year.

But behind every policy are the people who inspire me. Jake from West Bromwich who trained in healthcare after caring for, and sadly losing, his mother secured a job because of our skills programmes. Holly and Sasha in Sandwell who’ve seen over £1,000 knocked off their energy bills because of our retrofit programme. Sam and Oli, two young entrepreneurs, who are expanding their business thanks to our grants.

This job isn’t about creating headlines for headlines sake, it’s about rolling up your sleeves and doing the hard work that helps real people. That means knowing when to compromise, when to fight and when to pick up the phone to get the deal done - quietly, with no fanfare but with clear results.

I’m proud of what we’ve achieved - but I’m not finished.

I know many people feel the social contract is broken - that the deal between government and communities no longer works for them. And that politics promises much and delivers little.

I understand that feeling. But I believe we can restore trust - not with lazy slogans or cheap stunts but through action. It takes time, and I’ve learnt that this last year - I’ve needed to work through issues with rigour and patience, but be in no doubt, I’m driven by a real sense of purpose. 

There’s so much more to do. Our young people still face too many barriers. Too many hardworking communities feel left behind. And we’re still battling for the powers and investment our region deserves.

I’ll keep fighting every day to change that - not from a position of privilege but because I’ve lived it. I left school at 16 and I know how important it is to not only have the opportunity to work but to have the hope that hard work will lead to a better future. That’s why I came into public life. And it’s why I’ll never stop pushing to make this region the best place to live, learn and earn.

Let’s keep building something better - together.