East and West Midlands mayors sign commitment to deliver change together
The mayors of the West Midlands and East Midlands have signed a historic agreement to work closer together to benefit both regions.
At an event held at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, the Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker and the Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, launched the West and East Midlands Compact.
The signing formalises the shared commitment for deeper collaboration between the two combined authorities, which aim to deliver benefits for businesses and communities, and reinforce the Midlands' role in the UK’s economic landscape.
The Compact and its action plan prioritise five initial areas where joint action will have the greatest impact; industrial clusters and strategic supply chains, foreign direct investment, transport and infrastructure, research and intelligence, and wider regional leadership.
Together, the East and West Midlands represent a £132.6 billion economy, 147,355 businesses, and a population of 5.2 million, and have globally significant clusters in advanced manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, life sciences and clean energy.
Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said: “This Compact represents the desire that Mayor Richard Parker and I have to harness our regions’ shared strengths and to face our shared challenges. The Government is committed to its growth mission — and it is pan-regional partnerships like ours that will deliver it. We will coordinate to attract investment, strengthen supply chains, and to deliver the infrastructure that makes inclusive growth possible.
“So, this is about strong mayoral leadership at the regional level — but it is also about the innovation that is possible when we pool risk and opportunity. This is as true for economic productivity as it is for public service reform, and our regions are keen to use this partnership for those things which will most strongly benefit our people and places.
“This sets the direction for pan-regional working in the Midlands: drawing on both our similarities and our unique strengths to build the future.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, added: “The Midlands was the home of the industrial revolution — an innovative spark that led to seismic change across the globe. The influence of this region is often overlooked but cannot be overstated — we are driving the national economy.
“For the first time, both East and West are represented by Mayors. It is a unique opportunity to work together to make a greater impact across the whole region. Bringing the region together will help us fully realise our potential. We will create jobs, drive growth, improve transport links and help the whole region thrive.”
