Telford & Wrekin Council defends West Midlands Combined Authority membership fee

Today the council defended the cost of membership, saying it will allow it to strengthen its economy in the future.

Leader councillor Kuldip Sahota said being a non-constituent member of the West Midlands Combined Authority could release "huge potential economic benefits".

He added: "It can attract more jobs and raise skills here to ensure we continue to compete in the future and our residents have better paid jobs. It gives us a seat at the table to ensure we get the best for our residents."

A meeting of the council's scrutiny management board will take place on Thursday.

Papers for that meeting reveal the cost of non constituent membership for 2015 was £10k but would rise to £25k annually.

It comes as its meeting of the full council agreed its budget for the forthcoming year which will feature severe cuts to local services in a bid to save £30 million over the next three years.

Mr Sahota says had Telford not joined when it did it would be difficult to join later.

He said Telford has 400 acres of "ready-to-go" commercial land, more than anywhere else in the West Midlands, and its membership would help find investment.

Telford & Wrekin revealed in September it was joining forces with the Black Country councils of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall as well as Birmingham, Coventry and Solihull. But Telford's "non constituent member" status means it will not be part of any bid to gain devolved powers from government. Cannock Chase and Tamworth councils are also non constituent members.

The argument for the co-operative is that the councils will be stronger together in the face of harsh cuts to funding for local authorities from central Government.

Telford & Wrekin Council says it will have a "seat at the table" with the other councils.