Hopes Gloucestershire will get share of Bristol’s wealth by joining WECA

There are hopes Gloucestershire will get a share of Bristol’s wealth by joining the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).

Gloucestershire County Council leaders have agreed today (March 18) to make it clear to ministers that they wish to be placed with the Bristol-centric partnership as part of devolution plans.

Local government is being reorganised across England and in Gloucestershire the plan is for districts to merge with Shire Hall to create one or more unitary authorities.

Once this is done, the idea is that the area would become part of a combined authority which allows two or more councils to work together on key regional decisions like economic development, transport and housing.

While there are options for Gloucestershire to have a directly elected mayor of its own if it is split into two unitary councils, or create a partnership with the Herefordshire and Worcestershire, County Council chiefs are clear their preference is to join WECA.

They say all the economic data suggests that would be the most beneficial option for the county.

Council leader Lisa Spivey (LD, South Cerney) said the county has a footprint which aligns with the South West and it was very important to make their preference clear to the Government.

“As we all know, it’s the big prize at the end of all the pain of local government reorganisation,” she said.

She said Gloucestershire wants to “access all of the goodies” that come with devolution.

“We’ve already got existing relationships towards the south, the West of England Combined Authority, whether that’s our transport links, skills, growth and our health footprint,” she said.

She said there were other options looking to the north but the metrics suggest going towards WECA is in the county’s best interests.

Highways cabinet member Joe Harris (LD, Cirencester Park) said they did not need to justify why WECA is the preferred choice for them.

“For me, any combined authority area, any mayoral area requires an economic powerhouse to help share the prosperity,” he said.

“We are lucky in that we’ve got Cheltenham and Gloucester but we are also dwarfed by the size of Bristol.

“And if I’m being honest, I want a share of that prosperity that Bristol help generate.

“I think we could play a really important part of being part of a really diverse mayoral combined authority area.

“That’s quite an exciting prospect.”

Asked about Gloucestershire’s prospects of joining WECA a spokesperson said they continue to work constructively with Gloucestershire’s councils, as they do with all of their partners, to deliver for people across the West of England.

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