PLANS to allow some national taxes paid locally to be retained locally have been welcomed by the Mayor of the West of England, Helen Godwin.

Ms Godwin, who leads the country’s fastest-growing regional economy and the most productive region outside London, has backed what would be an unprecedented step forward.

It follows plans announced in the autumn Budget for mayors to be given the power to introduce an overnight visitor levy.

The mayor has also given her strong support to plans for a deeper relationship between the UK and EU, and highlighted the West of England’s investment potential when it comes to £2.5 billion of new funding for AI.

The region is already home to the UK’s fastest supercomputer, Isambard-AI, with an ambition to establish the country’s first AI ‘supercluster’.

A record amount has been announced to invest in quantum technology, with the West well-placed as the first region in the UK to sign a tech trade agreement with Elevate Quantum, in the United States.

Ms Godwin said: “These new powers would be a giant leap forward, giving our region more control of our future.

“As the country's fastest growing regional economy, we are already a major contributor to the Treasury, so the chance to invest some more of the proceeds of our growth and prosperity back into the Westcountry is something that people across our part of the world will welcome.

“Getting to keep a share of income tax and other national taxes here locally would be a game-changer for the West, whether that is to invest in transport improvements, training opportunities, or anything else.

“As with the proposals for our region to have the power to consider introducing an overnight visitor levy, it is right that more decisions are taken here in the West of England, rather than in Westminster.”