Newly elected West of England Metro Mayor Tim Bowles has said more must be done to ensure job opportunities are created for everyone in the region.
Speaking at his swearing-in on Monday, Mr Bowles, pictured, said the West of England had many dynamic new businesses and high-quality jobs in fast-growing sectors. 
Yet despite these characteristics, the region was not without its challenges.
“We must do more to ensure our region provides opportunity for all,” he said at the event at Bristol’s Engine Shed innovation hub – where Mr Bowles has his office.
“Skills shortages are a barrier to growth in some sectors, such as advanced manufacturing, creative and digital,” he said.
“So we must plan ahead, working with employers and colleges, to ensure that local people have the skills that local businesses need.
“We will encourage more employers to get involved in careers advice and apprenticeships and I am passionate that we take a positive message to our next generation about the great job opportunities that exist for everyone in the region.”
Conservative councillor and businessman Tim Bowles, who was elected eight days ago in the region’s first Metro Mayor election, said he wanted to see the region’s businesses fulfil their potential, and would ensure the policies pursued by the new West of England Combined Authority – which he will lead – supported businesses to start and grow in the region.
The authority – which also includes the Mayor of Bristol and the leaders of Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire Councils – will oversee a budget of £900m over the next 30 years and play a lead role in the social and economic future of the region – especially in the areas of infrastructure, housing and skills
“Attracting new investment into the region, bringing more job opportunities for our residents, will also be key to our future development,” he said.
“A very recent Tech Nation annual report shows Bristol and Bath as the most productive area in the country with the highest digital business concentration of any major city region.
“The new Combined Authority will work to ensure that local people benefit from more job opportunities, a stronger economy and a higher quality of life.”
He said it was an exciting time for the region as it took on new powers, funding and responsibilities from central government and he was “very proud” to be elected as its first mayor.
“This means that as a region we can be much more ambitious – we can make decisions here in the West of England about things that affect our residents every day – decisions about homes, transport, skills for jobs and how we support business to ensure our economy continues to grow,” he said.
He said he would work collaboratively and constructively with his colleagues in the Combined Authority and would continue to work with North Somerset Council, which decided not to take part in the devolution process.
The authority would plan ahead to ensure the best transport fit for the future and the right mix of homes in communities where people wanted to live.
“We will prioritise improving transport to make it easier for people to get to work,” he said.
One of the authority’s first actions would be to agree the key route network – the priority roads that enable people and business to move effectively across our region.
“We will work to improve our public transport provision, developing smart ticketing and improved bus and rail services.
“We must increase the availability and affordability of housing in places where people want to live and work.
“House prices are high and there is a wide disparity in wealth across the region. This means parts of our community are being disconnected – cut-off from living and work here.”
He also said he would work closely with the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) new interim chair Steve West, who will attend Combined Authority meetings to represent the views of the LEP and its members.
“Over the coming weeks and months I’ll be going out and about to meet as many people as I can. I’ll be talking to businesses of all sizes, transport operators, our local colleges and universities and community groups, to talk about the challenges we face and how we can work together to benefit everyone across our region,” he said.
Pictured: Metro Mayor Tim Bowles, second from left, with South Gloucestershire Council leader Cllr Matthew Riddle, Bath & North East Somerset Council leader Tim Warren, and Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees
