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UKIP accused over Birmingham and Black Country plan

UKIP has been accused of misleading the public about the threat posed by a Birmingham and Black Country combined authority.

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The party's West Midlands MEP Bill Etheridge called on bosses at Dudley Council to delay work on the deal until the plan's implications had been fully discussed.

Mr Etheridge, who is also a councillor for Sedgley, said local people had not been given the chance to express their views.

The plan will see Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton councils team up with Birmingham on matters that go across their borders. Bosses have stressed the move will not see councils merge or leader to the creation of a Greater Birmingham.

Newly-appointed council leader Peter Lowe rubbished UKIP's claims that a combined authority would damage local democracy and threaten the identity of the Black Country.

Speaking during Dudley Council's full council meeting, he said: "Let's get one thing straight. The Black Country identity will be protected. Dudley will be protected. Each and everyone of our diverse communities will be protected.

"And the interesting thing is, UKIP know it, but they have deliberately misled those people up there in the public gallery - shame on them."

Council leaders in Dudley, Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Birmingham have agreed to set up a combined authority to take powers that may be devolved from London.

Around 30 people had gathered outside the council offices prior to Monday's meeting to take part in a UKIP-led protest branded 'Hands off Birmingham and Hands off the Black Country'.

[comments_cta text="Are UKIP guilty of misleading people?"

Sedgley-based Mr Etheridge, who is his party's candidate in Dudley North at next year's general election and a West Midlands MEP, argued there was more to the plan than just working together.

He said: "If we go down this route we will end up with EU rules on energy, congestion charges, domestic waste, planning policy, climate change, education and social inclusion.

"I don't remember any discussions about this in public. No-one knows the first thing about what we are talking about.

"This is changing the way local government works in the West Midlands and there will be people protesting across the region. We don't have to go down that route. Let's set the example and have an open debate."

On the steps of Dudley Council House

In a fiery debate several councillors lambasted the UKIP group for failing to turn up a meeting of party leaders last Friday and argued the impact of a combined authority would not be as UKIP anticipated.

Leader of the Conservative group, councillor Patrick Harley, said: "If you had been sensible you would have found out what this is not about. It is not about Greater Birmingham. It is about joint working in the Black Country."

Councillor Darren Cooper, Labour leader of Sandwell Council, said: "I cannot see what it is that UKIP are opposed to.

"No-one is going to lose their identity. We will not become part of any Greater Birmingham.

"There will be no more bureaucracy, no more elections and no members will get any increases in their special responsibility allowances.

"This is about councils working together on matters that go across local authority boundaries. That's all."

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