Birmingham does cranes…and skills debates
If you walk around Birmingham city centre, you can’t help but bump into one of two things. A building site (complete with obligatory crane) or a debate on skills, writes
Combined Authorities ARE local government: WMCA CEO learns the hard way
Want a recipe for a one-day conference leaving your austerity-battered punters feeling both happy and entertained? Try this: pick a plush venue in London Town, get one of your three
Combined Authorities ARE local government: WMCA CEO learns the hard way
Want a recipe for a one-day conference leaving your austerity-battered punters feeling both happy and entertained? Try this: pick a plush venue in London Town, get one of your three
Send for Allardyce! We’re topping the wrong league tables
As you’ll have noticed, it’s the awards season. We’ve had the BAFTAs and the Brits, there’s the Oscars on March 4th, and climactically, just four days later, it’s the Birmingham
Inclusivity or productivity – or both?
Increasing labour productivity has been the holy grail of government policy for many years. Despite a 0.9% increase to September 2017 we have so far failed to regain pre-financial crisis
Teamwork becomes slightly more taxing
Yesterday’s meeting of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) confirmed at least one political truth for Mayor Andy Street, writes Kevin Johnson. This West Midlands teamwork thing is becoming more
Car, Sprint or Streetcars
Beverley Nielsen, the Lib Dem candidate for West Midlands Mayor last year, looks at ‘intermediate options’ on transport for Mayor Street. Historic transport policy decisions in the West Midlands seem
A brand new Countdown begins
It was at 4.45pm on 2nd November 1982 that Channel 4 started broadcasting. I remember as I made sure I was back from school and playing with friends to see
Plans for Mayoral Precept scrapped for 2018/19
The plan to fund costs of the Mayoral Office through a Precept on all Council Tax bills across the West Midlands has been abandoned for the next financial year, reports
Keeping the West Midlands moving
Against the backdrop of big bids, some won and others in battle, and political fallout from the Mayor’s attempt to secure a precept, it could be forgotten that transport remains