Birmingham on the World Stage: The Attractiveness of the City Before and After the Pandemic

Rebecca Riley on what Birmingham needs to do to remain an attractive place to live and visit, ensuring the centre and surrounding areas remain vibrant and thriving. This blog post has been produced to provide insight into the findings of the Birmingham Economic Review. The Birmingham Economic Review 2020 is produced by City-REDI / WM … Continue reading “Birmingham on the World Stage: The Attractiveness of the City Before and After the Pandemic”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 22nd January 2021

This week we have seen significant changes in the USA with the inauguration of the 46th President; this could signal changing relationships which are yet to be understood. The current lockdown is adding uncertainty to business planning and forecasting, the impacts of the new EU trade deal are continuing to unfold, resulting in demonstrations by … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 22nd January 2021”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 15th January 2021

This week we have seen continuing unrest in the USA as the administration changes, increasing infection rates globally and turmoil as Brexit impacts continue to unfold in the short-term. Below is a summary of the key issues this week which influence and shape the policy issues in the region. In the USA thousands of Trump … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 15th January 2021”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 8th January 2021

As 2021 begins, the world is faced with promise and peril according to Deloitte. They note that on the positive side, the distribution of vaccines is underway, offering the promise that, sometime later in the year, the negative impact of the virus could ultimately abate. On the negative side, they highlight the virus continues to … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 8th January 2021”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 18th December 2020

Welcome to the final monitor of 2020. The monitor was established at the start of the pandemic to look at the impacts as they unfolded and to bring together any available information from across partners. We had not envisaged at the start that this would still be needed thirty-nine weeks later. The WM REDI partners … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 18th December 2020”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 11th December 2020

This week, the first Covid-19 vaccination in the world was carried out in the West Midlands. Although there are signs of optimism following this, longer-term uncertainty over the Brexit deal continues. European equity futures have risen following stocks rising in much of Asia and the U.S. S&P 500 closed at an all-time high. In Washington, Treasury Secretary … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 11th December 2020”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 4th December 2020

This week the national lockdown ended and areas have reverted back to tiers. The West Midlands is in tier 3, the highest tier with most restrictions. This is forcing the continued closure or reduced functioning of many businesses specifically in hospitality, tourism and retail. As Brexit draws closer businesses are raising more issues and concerns … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 4th December 2020”

The West Midlands – State of the Region 2020

The State of the Region was published earlier this year. The report provides an in-depth look at West Midlands, it’s past performance, the impact of COVID-19 and Brexit and what the future might hold. The report was developed and supported by the WM REDI partnership to help deepen our knowledge and understanding of the region.   … Continue reading “The West Midlands – State of the Region 2020”

The Green Book User Group – Strong Foundations for Better Intervention Development

Rebecca Riley discusses the formation of the Green Book User Group and an event to launch the latest Green Book.  This blog was first published on the Government Finance Function website.  The Green Book is a great tool for better decision-making, not a compliance code. Yet we all often hear the term “Green Book compliant” … Continue reading “The Green Book User Group – Strong Foundations for Better Intervention Development”

West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 27th November 2020

This week the Chancellor announced the Spending Review, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published its latest forecast and the Treasury has launched the new Green Book. The UK economy is expected to shrink by 11.3% this year – the largest fall in output for 300 years. Covid-19 will leave “long-term scarring” and the economy … Continue reading “West Midlands Weekly Economic Impact Monitor – 27th November 2020”