TORY MP Peter Luff has attacked plans to appoint a £90,000 boss for the "useless" West Midlands regional assembly.

The total value of the contract is £270,000 - paid for by the taxpayer - over three years.

Mid Worcestershire MP Mr Luff, who described the assembly itself as a waste of taxpayers' money, said: "During the consultation exercise on the case for a referendum on an elected assembly, the people of the so-called West Midlands gave an overwhelming 'no'.

"But now the ridiculous unelected assembly that no one wants is proposing to pay more than a quarter of a million pounds over three years for the salary of someone who won't have a serious job to do."

Closely

An advert for the job claims it is vital that the West Midlands' voice is heard at a regional, national and European level.

It describes the current assembly as working closely with the West Midlands Regional Government Association and other "regional and local organisations from across the region".

Mr Luff added: "Don't the members of this ridiculous body - and the Government - know that the region's voice is expressed by local councillors at local level, by MPs at national level and by MEPs at European level?

"Under this Government there has been a huge expansion in useless public sector jobs for which we have to pay.

"Let's just abolish this unloved and useless assembly and save not just the chief executive's salary, but all the running costs of an organisation that is simply a waste of space."

The 100-member "nominated" assembly is a voluntary body made up of representatives drawn from 38 local authorities, the business sector, trade unions and faith and community groups.

The chair of the West Midlands Regional Assembly, Bransby Thomas, rejected the criticism, maintaining that the organisation played an increasingly important role in public life.

Mr Thomas said: "Along with Advantage West Midlands and the Government Office for the West Midlands, we are at the forefront of the growth in regional working - filling the gap between what is best done at national and local levels.

"The assembly is backed by the region's local authorities, business community and the voluntary sector, which together form the assembly's membership.

"Whilst the existing nominated assembly should not be confused with the elected assemblies currently on offer to the northern English regions, it provides a degree of public accountability for the large amount of central government money spent in the West Midlands each year."