All posts tagged: Midlands

Over 16,000 EV chargers set to be rolled out in the Midlands

Over 16,000 EV chargers set to be rolled out in the Midlands

Published by skeptic

Drivers across the Midlands will benefit from more than 16,000 new EV chargers as the region secures over £40m in UK Government investment. Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood confirmed today that 13 local authorities across the Midlands, supported by Midlands Connect, have received £40.8m from the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to roll out thousands of EV chargers across the region. With over 10,000 public chargers already available across the Midlands, today’s announcement will provide many more drivers across the Midlands with easy access to charging near their homes. Making EV chargers accessible will drive the switch The funding comes on top of over £2.3bn to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to EVs. This is creating high-paid jobs, supporting businesses up and down the country and tapping into a multi-billion pound industry to make the UK a clean energy superpower and deliver the Plan for Change. Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood explained: “Making charging as seamless and as easy as possible is crucial to making the switch to electric a …

Friday good news: Business confidence rises across South West and West Midlands

Friday good news: Business confidence rises across South West and West Midlands

Published by skeptic

Business confidence across the South West and West Midlands rose nine points during February to 42 per cent and 60 per cent respectively, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds. While companies in the South West reported slightly lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down three points at 54 per cent, their optimism in the economy rose 10 points to 30 per cent. A net balance of 32 per cent of businesses in the region also expect to increase staff levels over the next year, up seven points on last month.  Looking ahead to the next six months, South West businesses identified their top target areas for growth as investing in their team, for example through training and development, evolving their offering, for instance by launching new products or services and introducing new technology such as automation or AI.  Companies in the West Midlands reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up five points at 65 per cent. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 12 points to …

Private equity interest in the South West and Midlands on the up in 2024

Private equity interest in the South West and Midlands on the up in 2024

Published by skeptic

Total private equity investment in the South West and Midlands saw a marginal increase in 2024, according to the latest UK Private Equity Review from KPMG UK.  In the South West: The comprehensive annual study into private equity deal activity found that investment in the region grew by 3.4 per cent in 2024, totalling £6.2 billion. The findings reflect a period in which the UK experienced a more stable economic climate, with interest rates and inflation falling; greater political certainty following elections; and a surge in transactions ahead of anticipated changes to Capital Gains Tax.  The volume of deals in the region remained stable, falling from 104 to 100 year-on-year. This slight dip was driven by suppressed deal volumes in H1, and then followed by strong recovery in H2, with the Autumn Budget contributing to deal volumes increasing by 32.6 per cent.  Investment in the South West accounted for 3.9 per cent of total new PE backing in the UK. London continued to deliver the greatest interest from PE funds, attracting £78.1 billion of investment, …

Mayor of West Midlands tackling region’s affordable homes shortage

Mayor of West Midlands tackling region’s affordable homes shortage

Published by skeptic

Mayor Richard Parker’s mission to kickstart the biggest social housing programme the West Midlands has seen in decades has gained further momentum with the announcement of another major investment. The Mayor joined construction workers at the Port Loop ‘island community’ in Edgbaston, Birmingham to confirm a £1.7 million funding deal for 124 social and affordable homes on five acres of derelict industrial land. The investment comes after 6,520 West Midland households, including more than 13,000 children, started the New Year living in temporary accommodation as the region continues to suffer from a lack of affordable homes. More than 60,000 people across the West Midlands are currently on housing waiting lists. The Mayor said: “Far too many families in our region are stuck waiting for a safe and decent home. This funding for Port Loop will deliver over 100 new social homes on top of the 141 I confirmed for Digbeth only last month.  “Since I took office more social homes are being delivered by the WMCA than ever before. But this is just the start …

Four West Midlands firms to pitch for £1m prize

Four West Midlands firms to pitch for £1m prize

Published by skeptic

Four firms from the West Midlands have reached the final four of the new ‘One to Win’ competition, launched by digital economy agency TechWM, which aims to showcase the region’s tech sector. The prize pot is £1million and the firms will pitch before judges on October 23. Two of the four firms are from Birmingham. READ MORE: Coventry ranks highest in UK for entrepreneurial growth, finds Instant Offices ChangeMaker3D, is an award-winning sustainable technology brand, which is using, starting with heavily polluting construction, state-of-the-art robots to ‘3D concrete print’ the UK’s infrastructure across waterways, railways and nuclear power. The firm’s new ‘Printfrastructure’ technology cuts carbon by 20%, costs by 20% and time by 50%. OneUp Sales is a sales performance management platform bringing together analytics, gamification, and visualisation, to build high-performing sales teams. The other two companies are from Coventry. They are Skyfarer – a drone and aerial technology company that has set out to achieve a future where aerial logistics revolutionises industries. Through licensing its proprietary software system, Skyfarer facilitates the seamless and routine …

DfE West Midlands regional director Andrew Warren to retire

DfE West Midlands regional director Andrew Warren to retire

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Andrew Warren to depart the DfE after five years Andrew Warren to depart the DfE after five years More from this theme Recent articles Andrew Warren, the Department for Education’s regional director for the West Midlands, will leave the role later this year after almost six years in post. The senior civil servant posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he is set to retire at Christmas – a decision that will give him “space to move into a wider portfolio of non-executive roles”. Warren has been the area’s lead official since the new regions group structure was created two years ago. Prior to that, he had been West Midlands regional schools commissioner since 2019. He stressed this was “not a decision that I’ve taken lightly, particularly given the exciting agenda ahead, but it feels like the right time”. “After 40 years in education and six amazing years as West Midlands regional director, I’ve decided to retire at Christmas. “Stepping away from this role will give me time and space to move into a …

Midlands annual charity bike ride marks fundraising milestone

Midlands annual charity bike ride marks fundraising milestone

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More than £70,000 has been raised in total through an annual Midlands charity bike ride over its 11-year history. Proceeds from this year’s Starley Sportive bike ride, coordinated by Coventry construction and property firm The Deeley Group and Coventry Road Club, will go to Zoe’s Place, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire and Warwickshire and Solihull Blood Bikes. READ MORE: Coventry ranks highest in UK for entrepreneurial growth, finds Instant Offices A total of 230 cyclists, of all ages and abilities, registered for the rides on Sunday September 22, and, as is customary, it started and finished at George House in Canley, Coventry. headquarters of the Deeley Group. Edward Hudson, business development manager at the Deeley Group, said: “For so many people to turn out, in spite of some truly awful weather, just goes to show how popular the event has become. “We’re delighted to have once again raised a significant sum for local charities. Each of the organisations we have chosen to support does incredibly important work in the local community. “For us to pass …

A trip down the mines: West Midlands industry in the 1970s – in pictures | Art and design

A trip down the mines: West Midlands industry in the 1970s – in pictures | Art and design

Published by skeptic

Chainmaking, Griffin-Woodhouse, West Midlands ‘There were also many firms, some automated, others semi-automated, producing chains, shackles and swivels for most regions of the world, including major seaports in the Middle East. Much of the work was still done by heating and bending the links one by one, as the grand scale of, for example, a ship’s anchor chain (with links weighing up to 60kg) could not be fully automated’ Source link

South West & Midlands finalists for EY Entrepreneur of the Year revealed

South West & Midlands finalists for EY Entrepreneur of the Year revealed

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Jade Dunkerton, who established Holland Cooper Clothing in 2008 in Cheltenham, the now multi-million-pound turnover upmarket clothing brand worn by The Princess of Wales among many others, and which is now recognised globally, is a finalist for this year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year. She will now compete against 14 other South West and Midlands finalists. These include Mohammed Hussain and Alan Rock of Warwick-based Moasure, which has developed a unique motion-measuring device (and announced it had secured a King’s Award for Enterprise this week). There’s also Sam Waley-Cohen, who established Portman Dental Care in 2009. The company currently has 200 dental practices across the UK, Ireland and Benelux, including 16 orthodontic Portman Smile Clinics. And Anil Ohri of Salisbury-based Regent’s Park Healthcare, which provides cardiac services. EY Entrepreneur of The Year, now in its 26th year, recognises entrepreneurial achievement among individuals and companies that demonstrate vision, leadership and success, and who work to improve the quality of life in their communities, countries and around the world.  To be eligible, the business must be based, or have its chief operations, in the UK, and have been incorporated for two years as …

Richard Parker elected as Mayor of the West Midlands

Richard Parker elected as Mayor of the West Midlands

Published by skeptic

Richard Parker has been elected as Mayor of the West Midlands. The Labour Party candidate was declared winner of the Mayoral election following the count at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham this evening (Saturday May 4). Mr Parker, who runs his own small business and is a qualified public finance accountant, will serve as Mayor for the next four years and as chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and its cabinet of the seven metropolitan West Midlands council leaders. Following the declaration, Mr Parker said: ““What a privilege it is to lead the West Midlands Combined Authority. “I’m looking forward to getting to work, delivering my policies and my pledges and being a voice for the West Midlands nationally and internationally. “This is the honour of my lifetime and I won’t let you down.” Mr Parker is originally from Bristol and his parents were a dock worker and school secretary. He left school at 16 and got a job at the local port authority. However, he later studied for a degree in economics …