Cheltenham Councillors See Benefits in Joining West of England Authority
Cheltenham Councillors Optimistic About Joining West of England Combined Authority
Cheltenham councillors have expressed hope that the town could benefit from joining the West of England Combined Authority, which includes the city of Bristol. The move could potentially give Cheltenham access to a share of Bristol’s economic resources and investments.
Details
Councillor Mark Sheldon, cabinet member for finance and assets at Cheltenham Borough Council, commented on the potential opportunity. “We are lucky in that we’ve got Cheltenham and Gloucester, but we are dwarfed by the size of Bristol,” he said. Sheldon believes that by joining the combined authority, Cheltenham and Gloucestershire could gain access to a larger pool of funding and resources.
The West of England Combined Authority was formed in 2017 and is a partnership between the local authorities of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire. It is responsible for making decisions on issues such as transport, housing, and skills training across the region.
Cheltenham and Gloucestershire are currently not members of the combined authority, but there have been discussions about the possibility of joining. Sheldon stated that this could allow Cheltenham to “get a share of the wealth and resources that Bristol has.”
What You Need to Know
– The West of England Combined Authority was formed in 2017 and includes the local authorities of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire.
– Cheltenham and Gloucestershire are not currently members of the combined authority, but there have been discussions about the possibility of joining.
– Councillor Mark Sheldon believes that by joining the combined authority, Cheltenham and Gloucestershire could gain access to a larger pool of funding and resources.