Feeling SNUG?

Do you regularly use statistics and data for analysis at sub-national level? Do you have trouble finding or accessing the right information? Does the data you need exist at the geography you need it?
The Statistics User Forum, Association of Regional Observatories (ARO) and Office for National Statistics are exploring the interest in setting up a [...]

Call for focus on skills and innovation

The new chairman of the Manufacturing Advisory Service West Midlands (MAS-WM), Colin Tivey, has called for a focus on skills and innovation to keep manufacturing enterprises going through the recession, and to ensure companies prosper when economic conditions improve again.
In an article published by the Birmingham Post, Mr Tivey outlined how MAS-WM is going to [...]

Migrant workers mini scenarios in Wychavon

Wychavon District Council have produced a set of ‘mini scenarios’ looking at the possible impact on the economy and local communities of changes in the numbers of migrant workers coming to Wychavon.
The new report suggests that:
…the public and private sector will have to work to attract migrants to the area in the face of stiff [...]

West Midlands unemployment rate up significantly

Latest data released by the Office for National Statistics point to a significant worsening of regional unemployment rate. This is the preferred measure of unemployment as it measures the percentage of those who are economically active but unable to find employment.
The last quarter of 2008 saw the estimated rate of unemployment rise by 1.2 percentage points [...]

What is ‘worklessness’?

‘Worklessness’ is a fairly new term that is starting to be used and heard more frequently but what does it mean? Is it just a different word for unemployment?
The answer is that worklessness is not the same as unemployment but there are several different definitions of worklessness.
In the national indicator set of 198 indicators for [...]

January 2009 Local Government Association analysis and research bulletin

The Local Government Association have published their January 2009 analysis and research bulletin (PDF, 629KB) on the key issues and developments in research relating to, or impacting on, local government.

January 2009 briefing on the economic downturn’s impact on skills and the labour market in the West Midlands

The West Midlands Regional Observatory has produced an updated briefing, the Economic Downturn: Impact on Skills and the Labour Market (PDF, 275KB), outlining the continuing affects of the economic downturn on employment and skills levels in the West Midlands.
The latest data from December 2008 provides a more detailed picture of how the current economic conditions [...]

Give us a Twirl!

The regional resource catalogue continues to grow, giving policy and decision makers across the West Midlands improved access to data and research to support evidence-based decision making.
The development and growth of the catalogue has been achieved by working in partnership with West Midlands and sub-regional organisations to help share and publicise data and research about [...]

Future of the West Midlands

At the end of January, I attended and spoke at an extremely interesting event to launch a report entitled “The Future of the West Midlands“. The event was organised by the Smith Institute, an independent social & economic research think tank based in London.
The intention of the report is to raise the level of debate [...]

Use your intelligence!

Andy Phillips (our Head of Skills Research) and I will be running a workshop at the forthcoming “Influencing Policy, Driving Change” conference on 26 February 2009, organised by Regional Action West Midlands in partnership with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.
The event will help voluntary and community (VCS) organisations understand the policy environment and engage in [...]

New research on labour market and training experiences of older workers in the West Midlands

Research commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council shows that employers in the West Midlands are increasingly aware of the benefits of older job applicants when searching for recruits with personal qualities such as loyalty, experience and reliability.
Other perceived advantages include practical issues such as better retention, fewer training needs, and fewer family and childcare [...]

Jobseekers allowance claimant statistics give cause for concern in Birmingham

Four of Birmingham’s parliamentary constituencies are listed amongst the five worst in the UK in terms of the proportion of the resident working-age population claiming Jobseekers allowance, according to figures for December 2008 released by the Department for Work and Pensions.
The constituencies are Birmingham Ladywood (9.9% up 1% year-on-year), Birmingham Hodge Hill (8.3% up 1.5%), Birmingham Sparkbrook & [...]

Local Information Systems network event

On 29th January, Communities and Local Government hosted a network event on local information systems designed to enable colleagues to learn from one another’s experience and consider the future of local information systems.
The event was well attended by a range of organisations from across the country including the ONS, Communities and Local Government, the [...]