West Midlands Taskforce praised for its work
THE ORGANISATION set up to help West Midland businesses through the recession has been praised for its work in an independent report.
The West Midlands Taskforce was launched by Advantage West Midlands in November 2008 to provide a forum for businesses, regional agencies, government, local authorities and trade unions to support companies during the downturn.
An independent assessment by Professor David Bailey and Nigel Berkeley of the Applied Research Centre in Sustainable Regeneration at Coventry University has found that the taskforce has made a “significant impact” by minimising some of the effects of the recession on the region and for being “first off the mark” in its response.
In particular, the report, commissioned by AWM, praised the body for
- Gathering robust intelligence and devising a strategy that brought together a range of local authorities, regional agencies, business representatives and banks to co-ordinate and align the response;
- Lobbying central government to provide West Midlands businesses with additional financial support and persuading Whitehall to introduce national initiatives such as the Vehicle Scrappage Scheme designed to help the UK car industry;
- Being the first in the country to establish both a dedicated support website that has had over 87,000 hits so far, and the £11m Transition Loan fund that has safeguarded 2,500 jobs;
- Making the best use of limited resources.
Prof Bailey said the report illustrated the usefulness of a regional tier of governance.
“I’m not saying RDAs shouldn’t be reformed, but there clearly needs to be something between a local and a national level,” he said.
“There are 39 local authorities in the West Midlands. I doubt very much whether they could have come together and delivered this.
“The critical question is if we have another downturn and the regional bodies have been abolsihed, as some political parties would like, who will get us in the best possible shape to get through it?”
The report cited the £4.5 million Automotive Response Programme (ARP), which safeguarded 2,930 jobs and was praised for offering a “rapid and cost-effective intervention, which prevented a further hollowing out of jobs and capacity in the automotive sector”, as well as the Construction Action Plan.
The West Midlands Graduate Internship programme will create 500 internships to retain graduates in the region.
“The body was set up very quickly and lessons were learned from the Rover Taskforce, but with the limited resources it had it has seen impressive results,” added Prof Bailey.
Regional Minister Ian Austin, who chairs the Taskforce, welcomed the report.
“This global recession hit the West Midlands faster and harder than elsewhere. In previous recessions no help was provided whilst companies closed and people lost their jobs,” he said,
“It shows we saved thousands of jobs and helped hundreds of firms, increasing spending to support businesses, boost skills, get construction contracts moving and provide new homes to get the economy moving and save jobs in the building trade.”
Mick Laverty, chief executive at Advantage West Midlands, said there had been value in bringing together key decision makers and business leaders to agree priorities for action and focus finite resources to have maximum impact.
“This approach has enabled a regional consensus on key issues allowing us to move forward quickly on initiatives that have safeguarded jobs, secured investments into industry and targeted support at the most vulnerable,” he added.
Coun Ken Taylor, leader of Coventry City Council and chair of the West Midlands Leaders Board, said although the Taskforce has been of value, the region could not afford to be complacent.
“Businesses and communities throughout the West Midlands are still being affected by the downturn,” he said. “The recession has highlighted the need to address the long term structural problems of the West Midlands.”
