Mayor announces business support shake-up
Richard Parker, mayor of the West Midlands, has announced a major upgrade to the region’s business support offer – putting the focus on the firms that can power the economy forward and create opportunities and jobs for local people.
The overhaul of Business Growth West Midlands – the region’s business support service – forms part of the Mayor’s wider West Midlands Growth Plan, launched last week.
It will target fast-growing firms in sectors like advanced manufacturing, tech, life sciences and clean energy – sectors that can create the jobs and investment the region needs.
Richard said: “We’ve had a business support service that tried to do a bit of everything, but ended up not being focussed enough in the right places.”
“That’s changing. Our new Growth Plan is about backing the businesses with the biggest potential to grow, create good jobs and bring investment into our towns and cities. We must do it all in a more joined up way.
“This is about fairness too because growth without opportunity means nothing. I want businesses from every corner of the West Midlands, and with real ambition, to feel this region is on their side.”
Under the reforms, Business Growth West Midlands will:
- Refocus its support on high-growth potential businesses, offering targeted help to scale quickly
- Focus on decarbonising businesses so more firms can cut costs and go green
- Work more closely with universities, local councils and national government agencies to offer joined-up, high-impact support
- Deliver a new business scale-up programme for creative industries, digital manufacturing through an expanded Made Smarter
- Create dedicated health technology support for med-tech scale-ups
- Support businesses into industries of the future with a supply chain programme to exploit new opportunities in growing areas of the global economy
- Focus on export support, connecting businesses with the Department of Business and Trade
The updated service will go live early next year, with more details to be announced in the coming months.
It builds on feedback from businesses and economic experts as part of the Growth Plan’s development.
Raj Kandola, acting deputy CEO of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “In our Business Commission West Midlands report last year, local firms told us that the current business ecosystem was too fragmented, complex and ambiguous to effectively navigate. As a result, we called for greater co-ordination between agencies and regional authorities to recalibrate the system and create longer term simpler structures.
“We are pleased to see that the mayor is using his devolved powers to reshape Business Growth West Midlands so it will become more agile and responsive to the needs of local firms and make more targeted interventions that will help to unlock growth.
“We look forward to working with Business Growth West Midlands and other key partners across the region to ensure that a greater number of firms benefit as a result of these changes and are supported to reach their full potential.”
Sarah Moorhouse, CEO at Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said: “We receive a steady stream of feedback from our Black Country businesses that it can be confusing at times for them to understand the sources of support available that they need and want to tap into, so we welcome the clarity of the service Business Growth West Midlands will offer moving forward.
“The region’s Chambers of Commerce have important roles to play here too. From micro business to large corporate organisations along with the all important start-ups to well established firms, we remain truly committed to continuing our support to all member businesses on their unique, growth journeys.
“At the same time the Black Country Chamber team and I look forward to working even more closely with the Mayor and Business Growth West Midlands to aid in the delivery of added growth and prosperity to the region.”
Business Growth West Midlands is a service coordinated by the West Midlands Combined Authority and delivered in partnership by local councils. It provides free tailored support from expert business advisers to help local businesses to achieve growth ambitions.
“If we want to grow our economy, we have to grow our businesses.” mayor Parker added.
“That’s why this change is so important. It’s the start of a new era for business support in the West Midlands.”