Colors: Purple Color

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has set out a package of measures to help the region’s unemployed gain the skills needed to get back into work. With the Government’s furlough employment support scheme ending, and the region’s economy still recovering from the shock of the coronavirus pandemic, the WMCA is stepping in with £25 million worth of training support to help unemployed people across the region get jobs.

Working with the region’s colleges and providers, the WMCA’s support will be targeted at skilling up people for roles in sectors where jobs are being created - including digital, logistics, health and social care, rail, and construction.

As the Job Retention Scheme (Furlough) is coming to an end in the UK, a paper published by the University of Birmingham concluded the government designed scheme preserves a worker’s job during the COVID-19 pandemic but it provokes substantial decline of their monthly income that may trigger financial distress.

Research led by Christoph Görtz, Danny McGowan and Mallory Yeromonahos of the Birmingham Business School used household survey data from the Understanding Society Database provided first-hand evidence on whether the UK furlough scheme has been designed effectively and whether it prevented household financial distress during the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a nationally-representative survey into 2,000 UK workers, conducted by corporate transport technology specialist Kura, an increase of just £5 to daily travel costs may hold the key to solving the UK’s car-led climate emergency.  

The research findings revealed that nearly half (45.3%) of employees would consider forgoing their cars in favour of an alternative transport method if daily costs increased.

Top chefs and restauranteurs owners from across the region have joined forces with Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce to voice concerns over the imminent reversal of VAT rate reductions.

In a letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the Chamber and well-known hospitality industry figures such as Simpsons owner Andreas Antona and TV chef Glynn Purnell are calling for an extension to the rates reduction in a bid to drive consumer demand.

The Renters Reform Bill consultation response, which is expected to be published this autumn, is rumoured to cover tenancy rights, deposits, standards of accommodation and social housing. 

The changes that are set to strengthen protection for tenants include banning ‘no fault’ evictions, the introduction of lifetime tenancy deposits, crackdowns on criminal landlords and implementing the charter for social housing residents.

City of Wolverhampton has kicked off its annual Business Week by announcing the launch of one of the largest city centre residential development opportunities in the Midlands.​

The Council through its delivery partnership with Canal & River Trust has assembled the site, which is being marketed as Canalside South for the development of a residential community that will see hundreds of new homes along one of the most historic stretches of canal in the country.

Downtown in Business (DIB) recently celebrates the sixth anniversary of its launch in Birmingham. In September 2015, Downtown in Business launched its Birmingham office at an exclusive party at Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Birmingham.

Commenting on the sixth anniversary, CEO Frank McKenna said; “I am delighted that DIB has been in Birmingham for six years now.

Redditch-based and family-owned luxury bath and body brand, Baylis & Harding, has bolstered its extensive charitable credentials by supporting Midlands Air Ambulance Charity during the pre-hospital emergency service’s 30th anniversary year. 

Renowned for luxury hand wash, bathing products and gift sets, Baylis & Harding is contributing to the lifesaving service in a number of ways throughout the partnership.