On Thursday 4 May the West Midlands will choose its first elected mayor. To help voters make the right decision, TheBusinessDesk.com is hosting a hustings with the candidates on Tuesday 7 March.

The event, which will take place at the Birmingham REP in Centenary Square, will be an opportunity to question four mayoral contenders on issues affecting the business community and the region’s economy.

Each candidate will be invited to address the audience for a maximum of five minutes, then TheBusinessDesk.com editor, Alex Turner, will chair a panel discussion before opening questions out to the audience. To finish, the candidates will have two minutes each for a closing statement.

The confirmed speakers are:

• James Burn (Green Party)
• Peter Durnell (UK Independence Party)
• Beverley Nielsen (Liberal Democrats)
• Andy Street (Conservative Party)

Sion Simon, the Labour Party candidate, was invited but declined to attend.

The event is free, with refreshments provided, and runs from 12.45pm to 3pm. It is a great opportunity to get to know each candidate and quiz them about their plans for the region. Early booking is advised, however, those who book a place but can no longer attend are kindly asked to let the organisers know, so other delegates wishing to attend do not miss out.

Book a place online, or read more on our event listing.