Regenerating local High Streets was one of the key messages given to the Lib Dem candidate to be West Midlands Metro Mayor when she held a virtual visit to Dudley this week.

Local people invited to ask questions of Jenny Wilkinson, who comes from Sutton Coldfield, tended to raise one of three key issues – the decline of high streets, public transport and sprawling housing estates.

She was told that there isn’t one thriving high street in Dudley borough anymore, with even the best performing, Stourbridge, now in decline.

People mentioned the pressure of dealing with Covid, Merry Hill and the rise of online shopping.

Her response was that a new skills policy was needed to help current businesses to adapt to an increasingly digital economy, as well as supporting new businesses into the high street.

There were calls for a transport policy that linked the Black Country to other parts of the West Midlands without having to go through Birmingham; and a call for and end to sprawling estates and more medium rise apartments in town centres.

Ms Wilkinson was born in the West Midlands and is a Chartered Accountant and business consultant. She stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Sutton Coldfield in the 2017 and 2019 General Elections, as well as being a candidate for the European Parliament in 2019.

Ryan Priest, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Cradley and Wollescote, said: "Jenny is passionate about delivering real change in left behind communities across the West Midlands.

"There is a great potential with the powers of the mayoralty to deliver change across the region.”