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 Sub-National data User Group (SNUG) to represent users of data at regional, sub-regional and local level. The group would be a place to share issues, put questions to data providers, and have a say on what works and what needs improving.

The Association of Regional Observatories are looking for volunteers to attend a brief meeting, to look at the issues that the group might address, and to shape a programme of meetings (perhaps 2 or 3 a year) which would be open to all.

So, if you have valuable experience you’d like to share, which could help highlight the issues and improve matters, they would like to hear from you.

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 be providing support for the manufacturing industry in the West Midlands, with plans for immediate assistance to firms currently struggling as a result of the global downturn, and also looking to retain and develop skills and innovation for the future.

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 competition from other parts of the UK, in particular Kent and the South East. In order in particular for our farming and food production to prosper, conditions have to be attractive to potential employees.

The full report, executive summary and data appendix are available:

• Mini scenarios executive summary (PDF, 61KB)
• Mini scenarios full report (PDF, 536KB)
• Mini scenarios data appendix (PDF, 974KB)

These new scenarios build on Wychavon’s 2004 study on the extent, size and characteristics of the migrant workforce in the Vale of Evesham (pdf, 364kb).

There is also an interview with Councillor Audrey Steel where she discusses the report’s findings, the changes in Wychavon since 2004 and how new evidence presented in the mini scenarios is helping decision making.

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 to 7.7%, taking the annual change up to 1.9 percentage points from 5.8% quarter 4 2007.

The increase is due to an additional 34,000 people becoming economically active but employment growth was virtually static.

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 Local Authorities, the indicator on worklessness (NI 152) looks at the proportion of the working age population who are claiming an out-of-work benefit—either Jobseekers Allowance, Incapacity Benefits, Income Support for lone parents or other income related benefits.

Other groups have defined workless people as those who are out of work but would like to work.

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 are impacting on West Midlands’ industries and the labour market.

Give us a Twirl!

The Observatory’s 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 the West Midlands. Organisations such as Coventry City Council, Centro and Advantage West Midlands have all worked with us to share their intelligence through the catalogue.

Future of the West Midlands

At the end of January, I attended and spoke at an interesting event to launch a new report The Future of the West Midlands (pdf, 361kb).

The Smith Institute, an independent social and economic research think tank based in London, organised the event.

The report aims to raise the level of debate about the future of the West Midlands and highlight what policy changes are needed to make a real and lasting difference to the region.

With the forthcoming reforms to regional and local government through the sub national review, this debate is very timely and gains an added significance.

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 local, regional and national decision-making so that their works brings about real change.

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 commitments.

There are nearly one million people aged over 50 still of normal working age in the West Midlands, out of a total population of more than five million.

The study, Labour Market and Training Experiences of Older Workers in the West Midlands (PDF, 800kb), aims to inform future learning and skills policy so that the regional economy derives maximum benefit from this age cohort and individuals in it have access to opportunities that enable them to continue to fulfil their potential.

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 & Small Heath (8.1% up 0.9%), and Birmingham Erdington (7.4% up 1.8%).

The only constituency listed in the worst five not in Birmingham was Liverpool Walton, with a Jobseekers claimant rate of 7.4%. Wolverhampton South East was listed as having the sixth worst claimant rate of the 660 parliamentary constituencies at 7% (up 1.7%).

The BBC recession tracker provides a map of the UK illustrating these statistics, in which Birmingham can easily be seen as a Jobseekers allowance claimant ‘hot spot’.

Download the full list of statistics for all constituencies (XLS, 86kb).

Local Information Systems network event

On 29^th 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 Environment Agency, the West Midlands Regional Observatory, the Black Country Observatory, a number of Local Authorities, in addition to several consultancies.