11th January

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS WEST MIDS HIT HARDER THAN THE REST OF BRITAIN

New research published last week shows the West Midlands was hit harder during the downturn than anywhere else in Britain – and is taking longer to recover.

The West Midlands suffered a 4.5% fall in employment - more than any other region, while output shrank by 1.6%.  

These new figures prove we need extra help to get the West Midlands moving and attract new industries and new jobs. We’ve got more than our share of the country’s low skilled and I think we need more than our fair share of the resources the Government is making available. I’ve written to George Osborne to ask him to meet up with me – and a cross-party group of the region’s MPs - so we can discuss this challenge.

The Government says it wants to rebalance Britain’s economy away from financial services and over-heated London and the South East – and I welcome that . But the only way it will be able to do that is by helping us bring new industries and new jobs to the West Midlands.

That’s one of the reasons why I was staggered to discover that we risk losing £185 million of specially designated European funding. The West Midlands is eligible for over £270 million of money from the European Regional Development Fund which exists to boost growth and jobs. The Government has yet to put in place a mechanism for allocating the funding, following the abolition of the agency that used to distribute the money – Advantage West Midlands. Now, if this does not take place in time, we will lose two thirds of the money which will automatically revert to the Treasury.

It beggars belief that when our region is crying out for cash and investment to boost jobs and growth, this Government’s actions are putting £185million of potential funding at risk.

STRONG SUPPORT FOR UTC IN DUDLEY

Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to fill in my survey on opening a University Technical College in Dudley. An overwhelming majority of people were in favour of the idea and think it would have a positive impact on the education and career prospects of young people in Dudley.

UTCs offer a specialist education to give 14-19 year olds the skills needed to work in technical, high-skilled industries such as engineering and advanced manufacturing as well as traditional subjects such as Maths and English and are sponsored by a university and a local business.

I've been working closely with Dudley College to make this happen and we've already got Aston University and local businesses on board. The next stage of the process will come in January, when the bid is formally submitted.

An area like ours which has lost jobs in traditional manufacturing but failed to attract new industries and new jobs needs to encourage young people to think about careers in engineering, advanced manufacturing and areas like research, development and design which is exactly what the UTCs are being established to do.

POLICE STATION UPDATE

Last week I took the Assistant Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Sharon Rowe to meet shoppers and traders in Dudley so she could hear their views on plans to close Dudley police station in the evening.

Since the plans came to light nearly 2,500 people have voiced their opposition. I submitted a petition with these names to a meeting of the Police Authority in December.  The message Sharon Rowe received last week was clear; local people want their police station to remain open in the evening. The decision will be made at the end of the month and I hope they’ll take into account the massive level of local opposition.

HMD

I hope you will be able to come along to Dudley’s Holocaust Memorial Day service at Dudley College later this month. The service will take place on Friday 27 January at midday. This year we will have the privilege of hearing the reflections and personal memories of Joanna Millan, a survivor of the Holocaust. 

All resident of Dudley are welcome to come along to what is always a very moving and dignified service.