Local politicians are still hoping Coventry Airport is made a national investment zone as they prepare to discuss a major deal for the West Midlands next week.

Coventry City Council will discuss the £1.5 billion devolution deal next week which it hopes will provide major funding boosts to the area.

Coventry Airport - where a new gigafactory is hoped to be built - had been proposed as one of six Levelling Up Zones (LUZs) – now known as "growth zones" – for the West Midlands in March.

But the council's report for next week's meeting said: "Since the [devolution] deal was published, Coventry Airport has been proposed as an Investment Zone (IZ) site, which would provide additional benefits beyond those provided by LUZs.

"Therefore, it is not necessary to pursue a LUZ linked to the Gigafactory proposals, but there is no reason for Coventry not to support this part of the Devolution Deal which will be a useful tool in other parts of the region."

Levelling up zones have a value of up to £0.5 billion to the region, the report said.

Other elements of the planned deal include £25 million worth of funding for digital, cultural and environmental projects in the West Midlands.

The region will also be allowed to keep £70 million of the Commonwealth Games funding underspend and there will be a scheme to devolve funding for net zero projects to the area by 2025.

The devolution deal is the third of its kind between the government and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

It includes huge funding boosts for the region of up to £500 million for homes, including £100 million in "brownfield funding."

And Coventry's council could benefit by £3 million per year under a scheme to retain business rates, according to a council report on the plans.

Coventry councillors will decide whether to back the deal as recommended by officers at cabinet and full council meetings on Tuesday (17 October).

The plans need to be ratified by all seven councils in the WMCA before getting final approval later this year.