Hot off the press… City-REDI’s West Midlands Databook 2017 has arrived!

City-REDI has pulled together a handy book containing up-to-date key data for the West Midlands. The Databook covers the entire West Midlands, providing Labour Market profiles for the West Midlands Region, West Midlands Combined Authority, 3 Local Enterprise Partnerships, and 30 Local Authorities. This is a very useful and easy-to-carry resource that allows you to … Continue reading “Hot off the press… City-REDI’s West Midlands Databook 2017 has arrived!”

The Birmingham Economic Review 2017 featured in Birmingham Mail and BQ Live

The Birmingham Economic Review 2017, produced by City-REDI, the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and the West Midlands Growth Company has received great press coverage in the Birmingham Mail and BQ Live. The review highlights the current strengths and weakness of the Birmingham economy, as well as looking at the opportunities and threats that might impact upon it in the … Continue reading “The Birmingham Economic Review 2017 featured in Birmingham Mail and BQ Live”

Urban incubators, innovation and inequality

This article, by Dr Max Nathan, was first featured on Medium: The growth of shared, flexible urban workspaces for startups and SMEs is now a striking and very visible feature of British cities. Over the past decade or so, startups and small firms in retail, manufacturing, arts, the cultural industries and the digital economy have been … Continue reading “Urban incubators, innovation and inequality”

City-REDI/PA Consulting ESRC-IAA workshop on developing an innovative and collaborative approach to localised industrial strategy delivery for the West Midlands

On October 18th City-REDI and PA Consulting hosted a workshop with key regional stakeholders on the progress of an ESRC-Impact Acceleration Account project to test the feasibility of applying PA Consulting’s COMPETE model at the subnational level. In this blog, Tasos Kitsos reports on the day and next steps. An informative and very productive workshop … Continue reading “City-REDI/PA Consulting ESRC-IAA workshop on developing an innovative and collaborative approach to localised industrial strategy delivery for the West Midlands”

Economic resilience: addressing the challenges to come

Economic crises have happened long before the great recession of 2008 and unfortunately will happen again in the future. Maybe not as bad as the 2008 one but they will happen. We can spend years discussing why recessions happen and we can use plenty of insights in psychology, economics as well as ideological arguments. This … Continue reading “Economic resilience: addressing the challenges to come”

There’s a parking crisis in space – and you should be worried about it

There’s a parking crisis in space – and you should be worried about it bluebay / Shutterstock.com Chloe Billing, University of Birmingham This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. This article also featured in The Independent. For many, locating a parking spot is the bane of city living. Apparently motorists … Continue reading “There’s a parking crisis in space – and you should be worried about it”

Mayors should be ignored by the government at their peril – the redefinition of democratic power

Joseph Chamberlain ‘got things resolved’ despite not having the powers of the new mayors said John Cridland, chair of Transport for the North, at last week’s DevoQT event at the Tory Party conference in Manchester. The power to convene, bang heads together and drive change just by virtue of the office was a theme emphasised … Continue reading “Mayors should be ignored by the government at their peril – the redefinition of democratic power”

City-REDI feature in “Data as Infrastructure” report

Professor Simon Collinson and Dr Amir Qamar were recently featured in a report on data by Prospect magazine. The report, called “Data as Infrastructure” puts together a series of articles and essays on “Smart cities” and how local authorities are beginning to see data as another form of infrastructure. Simon and Amir’s chapter titled “Smart … Continue reading “City-REDI feature in “Data as Infrastructure” report”

Inclusive Growth Principles for Cities

‘Inclusive growth’ is increasingly invoked at international, national and city levels as offering prospects for more equitable social outcomes. Yet the concept of inclusive growth is open to a number of different interpretations. This has not stopped interest in developing inclusive growth indicators. In the USA the Brookings Institution has developed and combined indicators measuring … Continue reading “Inclusive Growth Principles for Cities”

University of Birmingham Research Conference, 2017

On 26th September 2017, the University of Birmingham held their first research conference. The theme was ‘Research Futures’ and provided an opportunity to discuss open research questions whilst exploring current issues around the delivery of effective & impactful research. It was aimed at the University’s academic staff, and staff supporting research. City REDI’s Catherine Harris and … Continue reading “University of Birmingham Research Conference, 2017”