Andy Street one year on: Team work the key to region's success

It is one year since Conservative candidate Andy Street defied the odds to become the West Midlands' first ever Metro Mayor – and he has no qualms when it comes to crowing about the region’s success stories.

The former John Lewis boss, who gave up a bumper salary for his new job, says he is happy with the progress made over the last 12 months.

That includes securing the cash for the Metro extension through Dudley, a housing deal – particularly the money that has been allocated for the Walsall-Wolverhampton corridor, a bike-sharing scheme and new integrated transport system, and winning the pilot for the Housing First project, which he says will play a key role in tackling rough sleeping.

Then there’s Birmingham’s successful bid to host the Commonwealth Games, the ongoing effort to bring Channel 4 to the region, and a second devolution deal confirmed last autumn.

As far as Mr Street is concerned, the pleasing end of year report is down to a team effort from everyone involved in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) – and that has meant putting business before politics.

“It is that team work that has won through,” he says. “Do I think I have held that team together? I think I have, and the region has benefited from it.

Region trumps party

He maintains his business-first approach to the job – “Let's look for the problem, work out the solution and then do the deal,” – has worked wonders.

"I have tried to be Mayor for everyone in the West Midlands rather than the Conservative placeman," he says.

As an example, he cites the recent row over the construction of the Midland Metropolitan Hospital, which has seen work stall since Carillion went bust in January.

Mr Street said: "Quite frankly, the Government don't want me shouting about how it has got to be sorted out quickly and in a particular way, but I'm very clear. My loyalty is to the region, not to the party."

He set his stall out to work across political divides, which he maintains has worked exceptionally well, particularly considering the presence of Labour council leaders on the board of the WMCA.

It hasn't all been plain sailing, and when Mr Street attempted to push through a Mayor's precept on council tax, he was swiftly rebuffed.

"We are like a family, and all families have their rows," he said smiling. "I think that's pretty much the only time when we have had a spat over the course of the year, and other than that I think we have worked effectively together.

"If we stick together we can all thrive, everyone knows that.

"We have put the issue behind us as and done things across parties."

Has being Conservative helped?

But does he think his status as a Conservative has benefited the region?

"Had I just been the Tory working with Government, then it would not have been enough," said Mr Street, who was the only Mayor to address any of the major party conferences last year.

"They want to work with a Tory mayor, but they need to know that the whole region will deliver.

"We are not going to persuade the Government to give us cash if they are not convinced we are going to use it wisely.

"For the housing deal the Chancellor called me up personally to go through the numbers.

“We had to persuade him that we could deliver those houses.

"I can't do that on my own. I need the Conservative and Labour councils behind me.

"Yes, having access to Government has been important, but it is not sufficient on its own."

Investment

He says one of the most satisfying aspects of his first year in charge is that there is finally a sense that the West Midlands is getting its fair share of the pie.

"This place is succeeding," he says, "which is one of the reasons the Government is talking about us. After years of under-performance we are seeing significant improvements."

His statement is backed up with recent job creation figures for the first quarter of 2018, which put the West Midlands top in the country for the first time ever.

Mr Street says he has been true to his word when it comes to not prioritising Birmingham over the Black Country.

"In fact if you look at the figures the Black Country has received the bulk of the investment," he says.

"Right from the start I said I was going to be Mayor for all the region and every area has shared in the success.

“The Dudley Metro is the single biggest investment, there's extra cash from the WMCA for Wolverhampton railway station. I think between the areas we have got the balance right."

Skills shortage

With year one put to bed, Mr Street is acutely aware that a series of major challenges lie just around the corner.

He says that chief among them is the region's chronic skills shortage.

Where transport, with its £5bn investment package, and housing are very much on track, Mr Street concedes there has been a distinct lack of progress on skills.

"It is critical we move forward with this, as it is crucial for our development as a region," he says.

"We have seen decreases in overall unemployment but we have some pockets of real robust worklessness and every year a turning pool of unemployed youth.

"We have vacancies that cannot be filled because of a shortage of skills."

His task is further complicated by the fact that he has no control over the adult skills budget, although that could be about to change.

Mr Street has vowed to land an agreement with the Government for new powers and cash enabling the region to put more resources into skills development, particularly technical skills.

He is optimistic he can strike a deal in the coming months – and this could well include the go ahead for the proposed £30m technical skills college in Dudley, as well as the University of Wolverhampton's new construction institute at the Springfield Brewery site.

The council tax issue will also return, but whatever challenges lie ahead, the Mayor is counting on team work to get him through.