Business News Protecting culture in Birmingham By Philip Parkin


Businesses in Birmingham are spearheading a drive to establish a “step change” in the way the city’s cultural and creative sector is funded. They will take part of a major enquiry designed to


help protect and develop a £100million sector that employs 55,000 in Birmingham. Businesses have been helping to bring together


interested parties to fill the gap left by public sector reforms. Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), said this meant that businesses could now take advantage of new and emerging freedoms and powers for local government to create a new way of delivering cultural investment.


published at the end of this month. The report will be used to bring together all the contributing cultural institutions and businesses. Mr Faulkner added: “The Chamber fully supports


this initiative and will throw its weight behind finding funding to invest for long-term returns. “This is partly a drive to encourage local


governments to act in a more entrepreneurial way and as a Chamber we now plan to get behind them and encourage other businesses to do the same. “The programme is designed to examine the


Culture change: Paul Faulkner


‘The cultural sector will be expected to become more entrepreneurial and diverse and the Chamber will get behind any initiatives to make this happen’


He added: “The old models of public sector patronage have changed enormously. With reforms in the public sector we must now seek new ways of ensuring that this vital sector for the city continues to flourish. “In turn, the cultural sector will be expected to become more


entrepreneurial and diverse and the Chamber will get behind any initiatives to make this happen.” Birmingham City Council has launched The Cultural Investment Enquiry,


which embodies a tight schedule of bringing together various elements of this initiative. A steering group has already identified a long list of potential investment


options. This month comments and ideas are being sought through www.birminghamcuture.org. The strength of those comments and legal requirements will then be assessed with an initial report scheduled to be


potential for investment in cultural and creative organisations which are such a vital part of our city. We will work closely with partners in the city to drive this initiative forward.” The GBCC will work closely with the City Council,


the Arts Council and Cultural Central, a new cultural development agency for Birmingham which was


created to lead and shape the future cultural life of the city and the wider region. Formed by 14 of the city’s cultural and heritage organisations, Culture


Central is an open membership body representing and working on behalf of all of Birmingham’s arts organisations and practitioners. It aims to raise the profile of the city’s world class culture and to build uon


the considerable successes already achieved through its cultural bodies working collaboratively. Cultural Central’s first director, Gary Topp, said: “It is very apparent that Birmingham is well aware of the value and importance of the cultural and creative sector. I now look forward to working with partners to bring together new ideas, new leadership and galvanising energy.” Arts Council England’s area director, Peter Knott, said: “Birmingham’s arts


and culture make it a fantastic place to live, work and visit. It’s great to see partners from across the city committing to working together to find long- term solutions at a time where there is real pressure on the public purse. “We hope this enquiry will offer up new ways to ensure arts and culture continues to grow and support regeneration in Birmingham.”


Clancy is against congestion charges


Birmingham City Council leader John Clancy (pictured) has ruled out the introduction of any form of workplace parking levy in the city. He spoke out after the Chamber said they were opposed to any move to impose a parking levy that would cost employers thousands of pounds a year. The move followed reports that council


Hats off to John Lewis collection


Fascinating work… a stylist from John Lewis in Solihull puts the finishing touches to a fascinator modelled by Rachel Northam, from the National Conference Centre. Tina Mackay, along with Sarah


Jones, led the demonstrations of John Lewis’s summer collection at an Enterprising Women event organised by Solihull Chamber and sponsored by Coombe Abbey. Delegates to the lunch were also give tips about accessories needed when on a journey and how to travel light.


• See more Solihull news – pages 34 and 35.


14 CHAMBERLINK June 2016


officials were examining a scheme in Nottingham where every business employing more than 11 people has to pay £375 a year for each parking slot it has. Stephanie Wall, GBCC senior policy and


patron adviser, said: “This has come as a tremendous relief to businesses in Greater Birmingham. “The cost for all firms with more than 11 employees would have been


prohibitive. Businesses are already struggling to cope with additional cost pressures from the recent introductions of Auto Enrolment and the National Living Wage. “Businesses are still battling to maintain and increase turnover and


need every advantage they can get. A parking levy would have been a charge too far, especially at a time when there is so much uncertainty around the outcome of the EU referendum.” Birmingham City Council officials were reported to be studying the


impact of the workplace parking levy in Nottingham, which introduced a £375 annual charge four years ago. It was understood that Cllr Victoria Quinn, who is chairman of the


council’s transport policy committee, believed the Nottingham levy to be a “fantastic initiative” and was “very popular” in the East Midland city.


Centro offers a home for apps


Tech-savvy entrepreneurs are being offered state-of-the-art research facilities as part of an innovative new scheme in Birmingham. Centro, the delivery arm of the


region’s integrated transport authority, and partner Transport Systems Catapult (TSC) are inviting start-up companies developing cutting-edge apps and other smart transport technology to set up home at the Intelligent Mobility incubator at Birmingham Science Park. The project is jointly funded by


Centro and Transport Systems Catapult (TSC), the UK's centre for intelligent mobility and will occupy a section of Innovation Birmingham's 'Serendip' Smart City centre. New businesses developing


smart apps for public transport can now bid for a place at the specialist hub, to access invaluable industry insight and information. Innovation Birmingham


welcomed the first cohort of applicants onto the programme, at its newly opened £8 million iCentrum building, including the first four transport start-ups – Truckulus, Conigital, Proxicon and EnableiD.


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