Part of Birmingham

Just been reading an article in "The Coventry Observer" Labour Councillor Ed Duane says the set up is a "smoke screen", apparently there ain't going to be extra funds and Cov could end up with an 8% increase in Council Tax. And my take in this whole charade - EU control of the "Regions" - vote LEAVE

A new notice has appeared at Canley station car park referencing the WMCA (West Midlands Combined Authority) so it looks like it is up and running.

You're blaming the EU for WMCA? Weird.

You`re quite right flapdoodle, but since we have achieved the "impossible" - how can I object to Regions? - except I always have viewed them as a sinister control and leaking out of the cash from central government. I seem to remember under the Gordon Brown system, LA budgets could be initially accepted by central government, but even then every payment had to be fought for at the time of spending and was "leaked" out pretty grudgingly (unless they liked you - but the Treasury doesn`t do liking!) Anyway I`m a confirmed Xenophobic, I just don`t like the idea of "my" birthplace being subsumed by big brother along the road, with the expectation that the green belt between us will eventually disappear.

No - accurate. The WMCA is part of an EU regionalisation project. Whole districts in France are being merged and regional identities being lost. There is quite a strong grass roots movement against it over there.

No, it isn't. That was a myth spread by Eurosceptics. It's actually a reference to a funding body that has no effect on the UK's counties but is designed to encourage cross border co-operation in regions. (i.e. the EU gives money to these regions for projects that require co-operation.) Purely a management vehicle to allow regions to co-operate. In any case, the WMCA doesn't even map to the EU region known as the West Midlands!

'Greater Birmingham' business rate changes could leave Coventry £27m worse off - Coventry Telegraph report Interesting comment within the article: One method of increasing revenues could be to get the government to change the rules around student accommodation which currently mean large scale operators currently pay no business rates or council tax.

Unfortunately it looks like the Coventry Telegraph has failed to fully understand the Council Report. From 2020, Central Government will let councils keep 100% of business rates (currently 49%) but will cut the rate support grant and other grants at the same time. This will result in a change of between +£44M and -£27M. The council expects something nearer the latter figure. Under the West Midlands Combined Authority, they will collect the business rates and re-distribute it amongst the participating councils. Coventry 'loses' £3.2M due to "student accommodation" not paying Council Tax, and £5.3M as the Universities (as Charities) get 80% business rate relief (this is in line with national averages). So the Universities are getting a bigger subsidy than the students. Peter.

One reason why Coventry needs to continue to attract more inward investment from businesses - it is probably not helped that a lot of companies move to places that are outside the city, but are here because of the city. Although I doubt we'll see much more inward investment now.

Hi all What a nerve.