Dan Norris says stop calling it WECA

[whole diary]

[jamestheredengine]

I've never associated WECA^» (West of England Combined Authority - about) with Waco. Isn't the Texan place pronounced "way-co"?

Yes. I think it's an anglicization of Hueco.

[Richard Fairhurst]

"Bristolia". It is the Portland of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), after all.

[TaplowGreen]

Why do I keep thinking that "Big Bristol" would be good - snappy, rather than wordy or worthy. If you favour grammatical logic over memorability, I guess it would have to be "Bigger Bristol".

But then ... is regional political correctness a thing? I suspect so.

An appealing suggestion, but no doubt it'll have its knockers.

[johnneyw]

Western Administrative Region.  Members of Dan Norris' team can then claim to be in the WAR Cabinet.

[Bmblbzzz]

WAR! Uhh! What is it good for?

[Western Pathfinder]

Absolutely Nothing..."

[ellendune]

The best suggestion I've heard recently is that it should be renamed 'Bristol and Bath City Region'. People in North Somerset won't like it, and people who live in that part of Bristol known as South Gloucestershire might not like it either, but at least everyone would know where it was!

But North Somerset is not part of the Combined Authority so what they think hardly matters

[johnneyw]

I see it now.

Western Urban & Rural Zones Legislature Executive.

Sporting a Brand New Combine Harvester logo.

[eXPassenger]

I see it now.

Western Urban & Rural Zones Legislature Executive.

Sporting a Brand New Combine Harvester logo.

As long as it is brand new

[TonyK]

I know. Let's call it Avon 

Out! Get out! And don't come back!!! 

[grahame]

I know. Let's call it Avon 

Out! Get out! And don't come back!!! 

Reverse previous thinking and call it Acew or Lotsirb or even Nova?

[TonyK]

I think I shall call it WACO from now on.

Wikipedia confirms

West of England Combined Authority

The West of England Combined Authority was created on 9 February 2017. Covering Bristol and the rest of the old Avon county with the exception of North Somerset, the new combined authority has responsibility for regional planning, roads, and local transport, and to a lesser extent, education and business investment. The authority's first mayor, Tim Bowles, was elected in May 2017. One of the first actions of the new authority was the announcement of a new train station to be built at Portway.

Would that be the same Portway station announced in around 2010 by the West of England Local Enterprise Association's Joint Transport Committee, with a promised completion date of 2013? The WoE LEPers would be upset to hear that their magnificent efforts were being used to shower praise on the Western Super Mayor.