Chamber takes West Midlands business views to the heart of Government

The views of West Midlands businesses were delivered to the heart of Government yesterday as the region’s three Chambers of Commerce presented the findings of key economic report in Parliament.

In the week that newly-elected MPs were sworn in to Westminster, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce - in partnership with the Black Country and Coventry & Warwickshire Chambers - held a Parliamentary launch of the final Business Commission West Midlands report.

West Midlands mayor Richard Parker, Lord Philip Hunt of Kings Heath and several of the region’s MPs joined members of the business community in the Churchill Room to hear the findings of the report, which sets out a roadmap for unlocking business growth.

After guests were welcomed by Tamworth MP Sarah Edwards, the GBCC’s director of external affairs Raj Kandola presented key headlines from the report, which includes recommendations around AI and digitisation, innovation, net zero, the built environment and people, process and skills.

Fresh from his meeting with new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and fellow regional mayors, Richard Parker took part in Q&A, in which skills and devolution were high on the agenda - as well as his desire to make the West Midlands “the best place in the UK to do business”.

Representatives from the region’s business community then took centre stage, as Business Commission West Midlands chair Mark Taylor hosted a panel discussion featuring Eleanor Deeley, joint MD of Coventry-based construction form Deeley Group, Anne Green, Professor of Economic Development at University of Birmingham, and Uko Umotong, co-founder of UB Healthcare.

Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “We were delighted to take the voice of West Midlands businesses right to the heart of government.  From the conversations with our region’s mayor, newly elected and re-elected MPs, stakeholders and our business community in the room, there is real appetite and energy for working in genuine partnership to drive positive change on business growth.

“The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce is proud to champion our members interests. While the Parliamentary launch of the final report of the Business Commission West Midlands: A Roadmap for Business Growth was a key moment in the programme, there’s plenty more to come.

“We will continue to champion the recommendations over the coming months with all political parties and look forward to reconvening to review the impact one year on from its initial launch. Thank you to all of our members and partners who have contributed to the Commission. It’s a privilege working with you.”

Business Commission West Midlands was convened last year by the region’s three Chambers of Commerce.

The commission comprised a panel of 11 private-sector commissioners from a range of industries, supported by an advisory panel of seven academic experts.

More than 432 businesses contributed evidence to the Commission, alongside eight public sector and 10 membership organisations or cluster groups.

The commission is supported by sponsors Aston University, Birmingham City University, University of Birmingham, University College Birmingham and Douglas Wright T/A McDonald’s.

Click here to read the final Business Commission West Midlands report.

Pictured: Henrietta Brealey (front row, second left), Richard Parker (front, third left) and Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber CEO Corin Crane (back row, third left) are joined in Parliament by BCWM commissioners and partners