Vow to end bed blocking with Black Country and Birmingham combined authority

Darren Cooper, leader of Sandwell Council, is leading the Black Country's negotiations for a West Midlands Combined Authority to work with Birmingham on matters that go beyond individual borders.

He said he wanted the new body to have the power to integrate health and social care and end the 'competition' between councils and hospitals over who pays.

It follows plans for Greater Manchester to have control of the entire £6 billion health budget for the area.

Councillor Cooper said: "It's fundamentally unacceptable to have cases of bed blocking because there isn't a joined up approach between health and social care.

"People don't see the difference between what's the council's responsibility and what's the hospital's. They shouldn't have to put up with different parts of the system competing with each other.

"There should be a quick and seamless response to getting people the support they need to leave hospital when they are well enough."

Bed blocking is the term given to delayed transfers and discharges when patients can leave hospital but another part of the system holds them up.

The combined authority is in line to be handed powers over skills and transport.

Councillor Cooper added: "We also want direct influence over JobCentre Plus and any Work Programme schemes.

"We think we have the right contacts to link people with jobs."

The combined authority would involve Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Dudley, Walsall and Birmingham Councils working together. However it has been promised that there would be no merging of the authorities, nor would there be any new councillors created.

The door is also open to Coventry and Solihull if they wish to join. They already work with the Black Country and Birmingham on public transport as part of Centro and the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority.

Tory grandee Lord Heseltine has said that the Black Country and Birmingham is next on the list for devolved powers after Manchester but has suggested an elected mayor may be required.

Greater Manchester has agreed on a £1 billion 'city deal' which gives it the health and social care budget and the power to raise £1.35 billion by keeping its share of the business rates.

A similar deal for the West Midlands is worth around £1.5 billion.

The combined authority has been met with protest by UKIP.

And the Black Country has stressed it will not allow the project to be called Greater Birmingham and has ruled out accepting a region wide 'metro Mayor'.