Business West, the organisation that runs Bath Chamber of Commerce, has welcomed moves by the West of England’s four councils to work together to gain more powers from the Government under its devolution agenda.
The leaders of Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), North Somerset and South Gloucestershire councils and Bristol’s elected mayor have agreed to a strategic review of governance as a possible first step towards the closer ties demanded by the Government as a requirement to transferring powers from Whitehall.
In a joint statement they said the review should be the next step as they look together at developing a detailed local case to present to ministers.
Last week Business West made its strongest warning yet that the failure of the four authorities to work together risked the Bath-Bristol city-region missing out on devolved powers – and more funds – in vital areas such as transport, infrastructure and skills. 
As reported by Bath Business News, the organisation signalled its frustration after the so-called Northern Powerhouse around Manchester, a raft of other northern cities, the Midlands and Cornwall were all named by Chancellor George Osborne in last week’s Budget as likely to gain more powers.
Prof Steve West, chairman of the West of England Initiative at Business West, said: “We warmly welcome the news that our four local authorities have agreed to embark on a joint governance review responding to the national devolution agenda.
“Working closer together should enable them to better deliver the vital investments and services we need to make our region work and thrive. It should also put us in a much stronger position to ask central government for the powers, and funds, we need to succeed – for example on much needed future transport investments.”
He said, in light of the weight the current Government was placing on the devolution agenda, it made sense for the leaders to have responded. However, the city-region was still significantly behind the progress being made by Manchester, London, Leeds, Birmingham and other English cities.
“We need to be serious, focused and swift in taking this work forward so that we are best placed to be able to work with Government and not at the back of the queue,” he said. “We therefore hope that this process can be undertaken over the next nine months rather than any longer period.”
The business community continued to offer its support in making sure this work was as well-informed and credible as possible, and produced the best deal for all residents and businesses living and working in the West of England, he added.
The joint statement from BaNES leader Cllr Tim Warren, Mayor of Bristol George Ferguson, North Somerset leader Cllr Nigel Ashton and Cllr John Goddard, deputy leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We agree to undertake a review of governance on how we strengthen our joint working as four unitary authorities, with a view to obtaining devolved powers from the government for the benefit of all our residents.”
A Strategic Review of Governance is a formal process looking at the governance structures that would best fit the devolution of certain functions to the four authorities. It is not a review of governance arrangements of the four local authorities.
The review is expected to take between nine and 18 months.
