THE LEADER of Solihull Council has been appointed as Deputy mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Coun Bob Sleigh – who been Chairman of the West Midlands Combined Authority since 2015 – has been appointed by new Mayor Andy Street, who will, in turn, become the new Chair of the authority following his election victory.
In the weeks and months ahead, further leadership appointments will be made – some from outside the current membership of the WMCA – to take forward different areas of activity.
Andy Street said: “I wanted Bob to take on the role of Deputy Mayor for two main reasons.
“First, he has done an excellent job in getting the West Midlands Combined Authority to where it is now, effectively laying the foundations to enable the Mayor to build on the progress.
“Second, having been chosen as Chairman in August 2015, it is clear he has the support and trust of the other council leaders. That will be crucial as we work to unite the leadership of the West Midlands.
“Having worked closely with Bob during my time as Chair of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, I know Bob will be an invaluable colleague over the next three years.”
Commenting on his appointment, Coun Bob Sleigh said: “It has been a pleasure to chair the Combined Authority for the last 18 months and I believe we have made a great deal of progress in key areas.
“I am honoured to accept the position of Deputy Mayor and look forward to working closely with Andy during what promises to be an exciting time for the West Midlands.”
