Executive Director's Report

                                    February 2007

The business community launched its roadmap for economic success. A new website – www.readyforbusiness-wm-london2012.com – has made it easier for Midlands firms to gain work from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Councils and the police were challenged on the fight against business crime. Universities and businesses were brought together for the aim to increase R&D co-operation. Professionals now have the chance to take part in an exchange programme to gain valuable networking opportunities in a major European city.

Roadmap for Economic Success

The Business Voice WM presented its roadmap for economic success.

Making It in the Midlands is in response to the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) review consultation initiated by the Regional Development Agency, Advantage West Midlands.

The RES is the governing document for economic development for across the whole of the West Midlands region.

The business community highlighted a range of issues that need to be tackled – from energy to exports. In particular five top areas for action that have been identified:

Transport

For too long the transport bottlenecks in the region have been seen as a national joke. This is not acceptable and we propose real and practical steps for an integrated transport strategy that works on the ground

Skills

The low skills base across the West Midlands region is not just harming peoples' life chances but is holding back business growth. We need a range of policies from a radical extension of workplace training to improving careers advice to break the skills logjam.

Business Finance

Bridge funding, levering in venture capital investment and developing a suite of Islamic finance products could go a long way to enhancing the competitiveness of Midlands firms

Crime

Business crime is costing the West Midlands region £14,000 per hour. With the clock ticking, we propose an improvement in crime prevention advice to firms and ensuring new buildings have 'design out crime' features to stop criminals holding up the regional economy.

R&D

With the plethora of top quality universities across the West Midlands region, we should have excellent opportunities for businesses and firms to work together to develop our R&D cutting edge. That full potential has not been met and we propose a string of actions that would bring universities and businesses closer together.

With 151 detailed recommendations we believe this significant report could go a long way to ensuring greater prosperity and more jobs at the heart of the UK.

Making It in the Midlands was only possible thanks to each of the member organisations of the Business Voice WM. The commitment and drive of these organisations shows how business is leading from the front for the people and businesses of the region.

To read the report please go to http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/news/tm_method=full%26objectid=18684050%26siteid=50002-name_page.html

2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Thanks to the leadership of the Confederation of West Midlands Chambers of Commerce, a new website has been established to make it easier for Midlands firms to gain work from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

www.readyforbusiness-wm-london2012.com means that SMEs can now form their own consortium – free of charge and at the touch of a button – successfully bid for 2012 work.

The website, funded by Advantage West Midlands and developed by the National B2B Centre at the University of Warwick also has current, future and supply chain tenders linked to 2012.

On top of this our Olympic roadshow – with the leadership of the Confederation of West Midlands Chambers of Commerce and in partnership with Advantage West Midlands – is continuing to go round the Midlands giving detailed information on opportunities from the Games.

In February, our roadshow came to Stoke on Trent and over the coming months we will be at Coventry, Walsall, Solihull, Oswestry, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Worcester and other towns and cities in the Midlands.

To find out when the next roadshow is in your area please contact Val Day on 0121 245 0141, v.day@businessvoicewm.org.uk

To find our more about the 2012 business opportunities, please go to www.readyforbusiness-wm-london2012.com

Crime

Business challenged councils and the police on the fight against business crime.

The Business Council's Regional Business Crime Forum, under the leadership of the Federation of Small Businesses' Regional Policy Unit Chairman, Mike Cherry, wrote to every local authority in the West Midlands region urging them tio ensure that when developing their plans, including seeking funds from the Local Area Agreements process, that investing in the fight against business crime is a key target.

Mike Cherry also called on West Midlands Police Authority to ensure that the West Midlands Police force, which covers Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry and Solihull, should target the opportunistic crimes that plague too many businesses.

With the Home Office estimating that business crime costs the West Midlands region £14,000 per hour, we will continue our campaign to ensure this scourge is effectively tackled.

Transport

Olympic bosses were urged to ensure the Midlands transport network was up to the mark.

In a submission to London 2012, the Business Voice WM stated that the success of the Games would mean that the national transport hubs in the Midlands can meet increased traffic flows to and from the east London Olympic site.

Specifically, our proposals included:

• Extension of the runway at Birmingham International Airport so that the increased aviation flows to Heathrow and Gatwick can be supported by growth at Birmingham;
• Improving the passenger handling capacity of Birmingham New Street Station to aid passenger flows to and from London;
• Tackling the congestion bottlenecks between the Midlands and London.

R&D

Working with Advantage West Midlands, the Business Voice WM brought together leading academics and business leaders to consider how there could be an improvement of links between business and universities to ensure the R&D base strengthens the competitive edge of leading businesses.

It was agreed to develop an action plan and, since then, we are delighted to announce that Institute of Directors Deputy Chairman, Bevereley Nielsen, will lead this work for our regional business community.

"Super City" Plans

In response to the Government decision to make Milton Keynes and its surrounding area twice the size of Birmingham, the Business Voice WM was delighted to have been invited by Advantage West Midlands to serve on a steering group for a study that is examining the economic implications of the development upon the West Midlands regional economy.

In a separate development, the Business Voice WM action plan on this issue – to make the development work for the people and businesses of the Midlands – not against us – will be launched at the House of Commons on 9 May.

We would like to record our thanks to Peter Luff MP and to Alliance and Leicester Commercial Bank and Milton Keynes Economy and Learning Partnership for supporting this event.

If you would like to attend our launch in the House of Commons on 9 May from 4pm please contact Bernadette Edwards on 0121 245 0139, b.edwards@businessvoicewm.org.uk

European Exchange Programme for Professionals

Advantage West Midlands has launched its plans for a European professionals exchange programme – to enable professionals in the Midlands to taste business life in a major European city and develop valuable business contacts.

This success is a direct consequence of the Business Voice WM being asked to facilitate this project.

Limited funding is available to professionals who wish to take advantage of this opportunity.

Places are limited so to register your interest please contact Claire Holden at Advantage West Midlands on 0121 503 3332 or e-mail Claire on claireholden@advantagewm.co.uk

Planning