Executive Director's Report
October 2007
Business gained a major breakthrough to ensure the regional planning regime works for the economy. The campaign to improve the transport network stepped up apace. The Government has offered to work with businesses to improve schools. The campaign to ensure the massive development of the Milton Keynes and the surrounding area works for the Midlands returned to the House of Commons. Top diplomats from Turkey and the Czech Republic came to Birmingham to develop Midlands business links.
Planning
Government plans to build hundreds of thousands of extra homes across the West Midlands region will have to meet two clear red lines, the business community has announced.
The statement came after a series of successes - that the business community had called for – had been achieved further to changes to regional planning rules.
The announcement was made after months of deliberation on the new Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) – a legal document which all planning decisions across the West Midlands conurbation, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire have to conform to.
This long debate ended one of its stages after a meeting of the West Midlands Regional Assembly in Birmingham – the public body responsible for drawing up the RSS.
West Midlands Business Council Chairman, Barrie Williams, said:
"Business faced a stark choice at the beginning of this debate – whether we should sit back and accept Government demands for more housing without demur or whether we try to ensure that new housing meets the economic needs of the people of the Midlands".
"Business demanded two clear red lines must be met before thousands of extra new homes are built".
"First – that the infrastructure should be in place – from transport to schools – before a new wave of house building takes place. We are determined that we should not be party to repeating the mistakes of the 1950s, 60s and 70s with creating a new legacy of sink estates".
"Our second clear red line was that new housing land must be linked to new employment land so that, again, the potential legacy of new sink estates is avoided by creating land for jobs near to land for homes".
"After today's meeting of the West Midlands Regional Assembly's Planning Partnership, we can announce that these two red lines have been met – and we welcome the Assembly's positive role in this process".
"However, we have not put aside the needs of the environment for the needs of the economy. That is why, with the leadership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, we will be working with Assembly officials so that sequential planning takes place – in other words major developments must happen on brownfield and other land before any threat to the Green Belt is even considered".
"The next step is that these proposals will eventually go to the Government and we will keep a close eye on Ministers so that they don't attempt to water down our red lines".
Country Land and Business Association Regional Director, Caroline Bedell, added:
"We have been successful in ensuring the regional planning rules allow for much needed affordable housing development for local people in villages".
"But the overall infrastructure issue must be met for the thousands of new homes that are envisaged. The business community will be pushing the Government for up front investment in infrastructure before a single housing brick is laid. West Midlands Business Council will be writing to all regional MPs to ensure this happens and the Country Land and Business Association will be in the forefront of this campaign".
Other aspects of the RSS, outside the housing issue, where West Midlands Business Council has made an input include transport, fighting crime and new opportunities for small businesses.
Transport
West Midlands Business Council's lead on transport, Brian Summers, said:
"We need a holistic transport strategy that brings public transport together with other forms of transport. The RSS has moved in that direction. The strategy is also clear and unequivocal – the extension of Active Traffic Management on our motorways and the widening of the M6 are now two key planning priorities. This is a step in the right direction to improving traffic flow on our motorways"
"On top of this, Park and Ride sites will be extended across the region. Again, this is a basic requirement if we are to improve traffic flow, increase the reliability of journey times and relieve the pressures on our roads. The policy has been made – business will now push for implementation".
Crime
West Midlands Business Council's Regional Business Crime Forum Chairman – and Federation of Small Businesses' Regional Policy Unit Chair – Mike Cherry – said:
"25% of all truck crime in the UK happens in the West Midlands".
"Now, with today's decision, all new regional logistics sites must have secure parking facilities for all goods vehicles – which will help crack down on the opportunistic criminals who prey on trucks parked in lay-bys".
"With the RSS expecting an upgrade in the logistics facility at Birch Coppice near Tamworth and with possible Regional Logistics Sites taking place in north Staffordshire and another in south Staffordshire, this is a good step forward in the fight against truck crime".
Small Businesses
National Federation of Retail Newsagents National Executive Member, Parminder Singh, said:
"For a long time there has been widespread concern that small locally owned shops are being pushed out of town centres by the large multiples".
"In addition, with Government plans pushing for more housing, business was worried that business premises could go to meet housing demand – but that local job opportunities would be lost as a result".
"Thanks to the work of the West Midlands Business Council, local authorities will be obliged to build on the 'local distinctiveness' of town centres. This can only help locally owned shops who know their areas inside out".
"The RSS states that such an approach could particularly help town centres in Cannock, Lichfield, Newcastle under Lyme, Nuneaton, Rugby, Stafford, Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Telford, Walsall and West Bromwich".
"Before business premises are lost for housing purposes, the RSS states that local authorities should, when necessary, intervene to ensure there is an adequate choice to meet the needs of business – including SMEs – within their areas".
"We will be urging the Government, when these provisions are sent to them, not to weaken them in any way".
Transport
Business – as well as gaining successes with transport with the regional planning regime as stated above – urged the body responsible for rail maintenance to step up the improvements to the rail network.
At a special meeting held at Network Rail in Birmingham, the business community questioned rail bosses on the need to ensure the Birmingham New Street Station development is a success, that signalling and rail maintenance improvements take place and that rail services to the Black Country and Shropshire are substantially improved.
The meeting following just days after the disappointing news that the expected announcement for funds for the development of New Street Station was not going to be announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling MP, in his Comprehensive Spending Review.
West Midlands Business Council Chairman, Barrie Williams, said:
"The dithering and delay has to stop – Birmingham New Street Station must be re-developed".
"It is not just the Midlands that needs a revamped New Street – so does the whole of the nation with Birmingham New Street at the heart of journeys to Scotland, Wales, the South West and the North West".
"Why is it that, last week, the Crossrail scheme - for cross London journeys - was approved by the Government but, today, the development of New Street – for cross national journeys - is still on hold?"
"While we can see there has been some movement in the Government machine to address this issue, the wait for a new New Street should be over soon".
In the meantime, the business sector representative on the Birmingham, Coventry and Black Country City Region Board, Glyn Pitchford, has reached an agreement with the public transport body for the West Midlands conurbation, Centro, for consideration of quick win solutions – such as changes to the phasing of traffic lights and changes in road markings – to improve traffic flow.
"Super City" Campaign
Plans by the Government to make Milton Keynes and its surrounding area twice the size of Birmingham has been met by the continuing campaign of the West Midlands Business Council.
Earlier, this year, the West Midlands Business Council held a reception in the House of Commons urging MPs to ensure the planning for this development does not ignore the needs of the West Midlands regional business community.
This point was made again this month by senior Institute of Directors figure and Chairman of the West Midlands Business Council's Milton Keynes South Midlands Working Group, Richard Ward, who made pressed this issue with MPs from the growth area at an event at the House of Commons organised by the business lobby group, MK Business Leaders.
In the meantime, further to the work of the Business Council, an agreement has been reached whereby the West Midlands based UK IT Association will open a branch in Milton Keynes in partnership with the Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce.
Talks have also begun between the West Midlands Business Council and the Oxford to Cambridge Arc – a public body charged with economic development for Oxford, Cambridge and across the Milton Keynes area. These talks will consider whether the planning for this growth could take in the business needs of the growth area and the West Midlands region.
Skills
A Government official from the Department for Schools, Children and Families has offered to work with the West Midlands Business Council to improve school standards.
In particular, an offer has been made for business to work with new Government policies on so called Trust Schools and City Academies to tackle poor standards in schools. This is on going work and further details will be announced.
The Learning and Skills Councils have agreed – further to discussions with the West Midlands Business Council - to pilot an innovative workplace training project, developed by EEF West Midlands. This pilot will take place before the end of the financial year.
R&D
The need for better links between business and universities in the field of Research and Development stepped up a gear after talks convened by the West Midlands Business Council.
As a result of the talks, it was agreed in principle, that this work would develop under the leadership of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce and the West Midlands Higher Education Association's Contact service. Further details will be announced.
International Trade
Two major international trade events were held in Birmingham with diplomats from Turkey and the Czech Republic.
The West Midlands Business Council's Exports Champion and Midlands World Trade Forum and Black Country Chamber President, Peter Mathews CMG, said of Turkey:
"Turkey is at the heart of the European and Asian markets and with a booming economy and a growing population there are plenty of business opportunities in this country for Midlands firms".
"Despite recent press reports, we can see there is political stability in Turkey after successful democratic elections were held this year. The strength of the Turkish stock market demonstrates that this country is on the up".
"We believe that despite the concerns of some European countries it makes common sense for Turkey to be a member of the world's largest single market – the European Union".
"Our links with Turkey have grown over time. Last year, we held a successful trade event with the Turkish Embassy in Coventry. Later, at least two Midlands firms gained work after we facilitated some IT companies to visit a trade fair in Istanbul".
"Now we are moving forward to develop even further joint ventures and partnering opportunities between British firms and Turkish businesses that could boost prosperity and job creation here in the Midlands".
In respect of the Czech Republic, Peter Mathews added:
"We were honoured to host His Excellency the Czech Ambassador,
Mr Jan Winkler and his colleagues at Birmingham Council House – thanks to Birmingham City Council and the Deputy Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Cllr Mike Sharpe".
"Later, business people from across the Midlands came together to meet Czech diplomats to discuss the joint ventures and partnering opportunities with this key central European nation".
"The Czech Republic is at the heart of the world's largest single market – the European Union. This central European nation is well known for its engineering expertise which works well with developing commercial links with businesses in the West Midlands region".
To find out how your business can gain from international trade please contact UK Trade and Investment – free of charge – on 0121 380 3500 or by going onto www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk
Olympics and Paralympics
The West Midlands Business Council has issued a tender for bids to produce a brochure promoting the West Midlands region as an area of business which can service the needs of the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
For more information and to find out about all tenders from the Games, please go to – free of charge – to www.ready-for-business.co.uk
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