Issue - meetings

The current economic conditions in the West Midlands, including insight from the region’s businesses and long-term economic forecasts, were noted.

The board considered a report from the Executive Director of Economic Delivery, Skills & Communities summarising the long-term economic forecasts for the West Midlands, the latest quantitative economic intelligence, recent feedback and insight from West Midlands businesses and from the COVID-19 Economic Impact Group.

The Chair enquired whether higher employment rates in some parts of the region were masking pockets of lower employment. Delma Dwight (Black Country Consortium) reported that there was a mixed picture across the region, and that she would provide trend data for each local authority area to future meeting to show better the localised unemployment hotspots. Andy Street noted that the first results from the 2021 census had recently been published and requested summary briefing note on the local data. Delma Dwight undertook to provide the board with this information.

Resolved:

The current economic conditions in the West Midlands, including insight from the region’s businesses and long-term economic forecasts, be noted.