It makes absolute common sense that the West Midlands, as one of England's most economically successful regions, should be formally consulted by the Government over the terms of Britain's Brexit deal.

Whether or not you voted leave or remain, or choose to optimistically believe Brexit will herald a bold new future for the UK or pessimistically predict an economic collapse, there will be a massive impact on employment, growth and living standards here, just as there will be across the country.

But, while the likes of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - as devolved nations within the UK - are being directly consulted by the government ministers and civil servants preparing to negotiate our Brexit deal, the English regions are not.

So Labour West Midlands mayoral candidate Siôn Simon was right to call for the mayors or combined authority chairs from the English regions to have a seat at the same table.

There are several different definitions of the West Midlands - at its largest, stretching from Stoke-on-Trent to Worcester and from Shrewsbury to Leamington Spa, it is as big as Scotland.

On the narrower, combined authority terms, it is comparable to Wales and on any population measure puts Northern Ireland firmly in the shade.

The first ministers of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales will have the chance to press the case for their oil and steel industries as well as their farming and fishing industries.

So, why shouldn't the representatives of the West Midlands too have a say on our manufacturing and motor industries and our emerging sectors such as green technology, creative industries and life sciences?

After all, the Government itself dubbed us the Midlands Engine to stand alongside the Northern Powerhouse as the most productive English regions.

We have seen Nissan, based in Sunderland, get a special deal from the Government and the City of London is using its contacts to shield itself from any negative fallout.

There is little doubt our Jaguar Land Rover, and major financial institutions like HSBC Bank, are also lobbying hard themselves to ensure they are not impacted by future tariffs or cost increases.

But having our own mayor, boasting a region-wide mandate, sitting in the room with our Brexit ministers to press the case for our major and smaller businesses cannot hurt and is the least we should be demanding from Brexit.

Freedom of the City

It may be long overdue - coming more than 40 decades after the tragedy - but the posthumous Freedom of the City being awarded to the 21 victims of the IRA pub bombings was an important signal from the city council.

The meeting was merely to provide an official rubber stamp to a decision already agreed by the Labour leader of the council John Clancy and his opposite numbers, Tory Robert Alden and Lib Dem Jon Hunt.

Other ceremonial matters are often nodded through, with the speaking left until the day of the Freedom ceremony itself.

But the councillors took the opportunity to speak out and stand firmly behind those families seeking justice.

Coun Clancy said: "Their lives were tragically cut short in November 1974 but, in this city, as we speak with one voice, they will never be forgotten after today's motion."

Such was the emotional impact of the speeches and the significance of the occasion that the usually bawdy Birmingham council chamber was respectfully silent throughout.

It was the council at its best - joining forces to defend citizens who have been cruelly let down.

Leader's jobs

A mischievous council anorak Gerry Moynihan, who can regularly be seen at the back of its public meetings, used the public question time to challenge council leader John Clancy over his appointment of four assistant leaders on salaries of £10,000 a year each.

Mr Moynihan, a former council candidate for UKIP, pointed out that the previous leaders "political heavyweights Lord Whitby and Sir Albert Bore" did not require a quartet of assistants and wondered if they were undermining or usurping the deputy leader Ian Ward and members of the cabinet (some of who are not established Clancy loyalists).

Critics of the Labour leader, and there are many, indeed suggest the roles have been created to reward those councillors who supported him in the nail-bitingly close leadership contest in 2015.

They are, in fact, working on the council's devolution agenda, trying to set up a means for the most centralised local authority in Europe to give genuine power and funding over services to local areas.

They are supposed to be advising communities to rise up and seize opportunities like neighbourhood plans and parish councils to entrench that devolution.

Among them, Marje Bridle in particular, has pushed this agenda for many years.

But, after six months or so in post, there has been much talk and many meetings.

Unless concrete results emerge soon, the criticism will grow and grow and will come from more than Mr Mischief.