City Would Be Better Placed as 'Greater Birmingham'

The Director of leading thinktank Centre for Cities, Dermot Finch, will today explore how Birmingham will cope as the UK enters its first recession in fifteen years. He will also discuss how jobs, training, transport and new housing would be better delivered across the city region. He is expected to say that: "the Birmingham city-region would tap into more international trade and investment if it traded under a more compelling brand like Greater Birmingham." Dermot Finch will be speaking at the latest event in Birmingham Forward's series of Keynote Lunches which will take place in the Vista Suite at the newly refurbished Crowne Plaza Hotel. The event is sponsored by property developer and investor Calthorpe Estates. Previewing his address, Dermot commented: "The UK is entering its first recession in over 15 years. How will cities like Birmingham cope? Will the city-centre Big City Plan go forward as planned? And what will happen to businesses, jobs, and housing?" "Like most other cities, Birmingham has seen strong growth over the last decade. But its revival is unfinished business, and the city-region's economy is exposed to the imminent recession. Financial and business services contribute around 18% of West Midlands GDP and 100,000 jobs - the recession is likely to hit these hard." The Centre for Cities director continued: "Birmingham's city and city-regional economy is lagging behind other major cities and the national average. 33% of the city's residents are not in employment, compared to 26% nationally. Jobs growth over ten years has also trailed behind the national average (0.6% compared to the 1.5% across Great Britain). And across the city-region, output per head is below par at £16,500." "The Centre for Cities 2008 Cities Outlook report found that Birmingham is a polarised city. The financial and business service sectors have done well, but one in five adults are on benefits and the same proportion has no qualifications at all. Across the city-region, the bottom 10% earners take home less than £235 per week, compared to £240 in Manchester and £247 England wide. These are major tests for the city and its surrounding areas." "We need a city-regional approach to economic development in the UK. Our recent report on the global economy found that UK cities are comparatively small by global standards, and so should work more closely together. The Birmingham city-region would tap into more international trade and investment if it traded under a more compelling brand like Greater Birmingham." Summarising the case he will make to members of Birmingham's professional and financial services lobby group, Dermot Finch concluded: "Transport, new housing and training all need to be delivered across real economic areas, rather than within individual local authority areas. This will help the Birmingham city-region strengthen its economy. By getting the basics right and working collaboratively at city-regional level, Birmingham will be better placed to face the downturn – and future waves of growth beyond." Commenting on today's Keynote Lunch event, Chief Executive of Birmingham Forward, Richard Brennan said: "I am delighted to welcome Dermot to Birmingham. With the city at an exciting and important time in terms of planning for the future, notably with the Big City Plan, I am sure that there will be much food for thought contained in his address to members. At Birmingham Forward, we believe that we should engage with a wide spectrum of views and expertise and there is no doubt that Dermot will be bringing an interesting perspective to the issues and opportunities we are facing in the city." Jayne Herritty, Sales and Marketing Director of Calthorpe Estates, main sponsors of the Keynote Lunch, said: "We are proud to be sponsors of this event. Dermot Finch is one of the country's leading experts on cities and as property developer and investors, we are looking forward to hearing his views on the future development of the City." "While much has been done already to enhance Birmingham over the last decade, we are now in the position to begin cementing its place as a leading UK city and it is essential that we all play our role in a shared vision for Birmingham and promote the prosperity and vibrancy the city has to offer. This sponsorship is part of our ongoing relationship with Birmingham Forward and we look forward to what I know will be a stimulating event." Dermot Finch is an experienced and respected policy advisor and has fulfilled many high profile roles in government, including that of private secretary in both Ken Clarke's and Gordon Brown's ministerial teams. For three years he worked at the British Embassy in Washington DC. Born in Lancashire, Dermot studied at both Liverpool University and Queen's University, Belfast. As the Director for Centre for Cities, Dermot now leads an organisation that produces practical research on the economic drivers of urban growth and change and policy solutions for business, cities and Whitehall.

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