Business News

Applications have opened in the search for the West Midlands’ first-ever Tech Commissioner to help maintain the region’s place as a leading UK tech hub, with the aim of supporting the creation of thousands more jobs and growing the local economy by almost £3billion by 2025.

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is creating the part-time, voluntary role in a partnership with Birmingham Tech, a not-for-profit community initiative (CIC) which aims to raise the profile of the region’s tech scene.

In his response to the latest monthly public sector finances statistics, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt said: “Faced with the twin global emergencies of a pandemic and Putin’s war in Ukraine, we have taken significant action to support millions of businesses and families here in the UK.

Gi Group, one of the world’s largest HR solutions and staffing companies, is celebrating after being crowned, “Recruitment Team of the Year”, at the prestigious REC Awards 2022. Gi Group won the award following its work as Official Recruiter for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Also noteworthy was the company’s nomination for another award: “Community Impact of the Year”, in recognition of the £1.3m worth of social value contribution it generated over 12 months as a direct result of its work with Birmingham 2022.

Legal and professional services group Ampa has announced promotions in the West Midlands across its house of brands including Shakespeare Martineau and Marrons.

Promoted to associate within Shakespeare Martineau is Elaine Hart, Fatema Miah and Victoria Kirkpatrick. Elaine Hart, associate within the private client team in Solihull, is an expert in probate matters including inheritance tax bearing estates.

The West Midlands economy is growing at the same time as its carbon emissions are falling, according to data analysed by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). Between 2005 and 2020, the region’s carbon emissions reported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have more than halved - falling from 7 tonnes of CO2 per capita to 3.4 tonnes.

Westside Business Improvement District (BID) has invested £20,000 in an Eco City Picker to keep pavements in and around Birmingham’s ‘golden mile’ of Broad Street clean.

The battery-powered giant street vacuum will be launched at 8am on Monday 19 December next to the Black Sabbath Bench on Broad Street by Councillor Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for Environment at Birmingham City Council.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer responded to ONS December labour market statistics is below. Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said: “While unemployment in the UK remains close to historic lows, high inflation continues to plague economies around the world as we manage the impacts of Covid-19 and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Leading hospitality charity Springboard has helped 1,500 young Midlanders secure jobs in hospitality as part of its ‘Springboard to 2022’ initiative, which sought to support 10,000 people nationwide into employment in the sector.

The initiative saw the charity help thousands of people from all walks of life find employment, including Ukrainian refugees, care leavers, those with mental and physical health conditions, and various other barriers.

SIFA Fireside’s Michael McMillan, Melissa Roche, Natalie Allen with Colemans’ Mark Coleman Birmingham demolition contractor Colemans celebrated 60 years in business with a £64,000 donation to local charity, SIFA Fireside, after a year of fundraising activities.

Colemans, a family business founded by John and Norah Coleman in October 1962, hosted a 60^th anniversary dinner where they presented a cheque for £60,000 to Birmingham-based SIFA Fireside.

As snow and ice wreaked havoc on UK roads over the weekend and caused thousands of accidents and breakdowns, leading rural insurer NFU Mutual recorded its busiest day of the year for motor insurance claims.

Monday morning saw twice the usual volume of accident or breakdown notifications to NFU Mutual, and with the Met Office’s Cold Weather Alert in force until Friday 16 December, the leading rural insurer is calling on motorists to take action to avoid endangering themselves and their vehicles.

A unique community scheme funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has helped over 1,100 people either get into work or improve their employment prospects.

Connecting Communities, an employment support pilot programme funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and overseen by the WMCA, provided people with tailored job advice and specialist support in the heart of their own neighbourhoods.

Cyber security specialists Digital Craftsmen has put together a  Christmas security checklist to help business directors enjoy Silent Nights over the festive period.

Simon Wilcox, MD of Digital Craftsmen says: “After a busy year, it’s right that business teams are looking forward to a restful break with their families.

The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt heard directly from oil and gas companies in a Fiscal Forum meeting in Edinburgh.

During discussions, he highlighted the importance of energy security in the aftermath of Russia’s war with Ukraine, and said that the Government continues to recognise the importance of the sector and the value of its investments.

In Edinburgh the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, will announce a package of over 30 regulatory reforms to secure the UK’s place as the world’s foremost financial centre. The “Edinburgh Reforms” will build on the unparalleled strength of the UK’s financial services sector, taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the UK’s exit from the European Union to tailor regulations to suit the country’s needs.

Workers at the ASIRT charity in Birmingham have announced they will take strike action on 21 December in response to a range of issues with the management of the charity and a refusal to recognise their trade union of choice.

The striking workers, members of the United Voices of the World (UVW) union, are calling for the charity to stop the planned dissolution and instead keep providing vital services to the migrant and refugee communities in Birmingham.

Superscript has ranked Wolverhampton as the top entrepreneurial city in the UK in a recent nationwide survey. 

The City of Wolverhampton was pinpointed as the most successful city with the highest growth in new small businesses, according to a survey of over 1,000 entrepreneurs.