Student loans convertible into house deposits – a reformed Student Loans system that puts regional graduate retention at its heart
The review of post-18 education and funding in England led by Philip Augar and published in May 2019, now seems like a lifetime ago. The landscape within which Higher Education operates has fundamentally changed and the Government will have to try to rebalance the books post pandemic (as and when that might be). However, students […]
How do we support the ‘financially fragile’ if the welfare system is not fit for purpose and the public purse is not a bottomless pit?
Citizens Advice estimates that 6 million people have fallen behind on their bills and that 12 million are now ‘financially fragile’ across the UK. In this article, Kate Algate (CEO, Coventry Citizens Advice) explores who COVID-19 has hit the hardest and what could be done to support and catch those who are falling through […]
‘Planning for the Future’ – a cure for a politicised, complex and failing planning system?
In August 2020, the Government released its ‘Planning for the Future’ White Paper designed to fundamentally reform England’s planning system, The White Paper states that the Government’s ambition is to create a “significantly simpler, faster and more predictable system” to enable it to “build the homes our country needs, bridge the present generational divide and […]
How can policy makers help to inspire and enable a new wave of community led housing?
Following on from the Centre for the New Midlands’ recent webinar, which explored the case for community led housing (CLH) and the role it could play in enhancing the housing mix across the West Midlands, Abigail Ryan (Development Manager, West Midlands Urban Community Homes) provides her thoughts on the role that local and regional policy […]
There will be major reforms to local government – what could this mean for Warwickshire?
In June 2020, Simon Clarke MP (the then Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government) confirmed that the “Devolution White Paper to be published this Autumn will set out our transformative plans for economic recovery and renewal, and for levelling up opportunity, prosperity, and well-being across the country. These plans will include restructuring […]
COVID-19 cannot be allowed to add Conservation to its growing list of collateral damage
Although Twycross Zoo is based in Leicestershire and therefore slightly out of our typical area of geographic interest; the zoo plays such an important role in the lives of so many people all across the Midlands region. In this article, Dr Sharon Redrobe OBE (CEO, Twycross Zoo) outlines the enormous challenges facing the sector due […]
We’ve all heard of ‘business bail-outs’ – but what about the start-ups and spin-outs?
A huge amount of finance and support packages have understandably been directed towards keeping businesses afloat and by design, keeping people in work. But what support and incentives are out there to encourage the next wave of start-ups and entrepreneurs to succeed and help the UK get back on its feet. In this article, Debbie […]
Could COVID-19 stimulate regional adoption of technology and drive forward the so called ‘fourth industrial revolution?
As the country entered into lockdown in March 2020, a vast number of industries switched overnight into a world of video conferencing and video calls thanks to new technologies to service the office environment. In this article, Tim Luft (Director, TalkOut Group) explores whether COVID-19 could actually stimulate a much broader regional adoption of technology […]
The Runners and Riders in The Pandemic Stakes
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across virtually every part of life as we knew it and reached almost every corner of the globe. However, with everything in life, there are winners and losers. In this article, ‘Disruptive Pioneer’ Peter D Warwick takes a look at who will come out of the pandemic […]
Digital inclusion must take precedence
For many of us, the pandemic has provided us with even more opportunities to embed digital technology in our everyday lives. However, for millions of people up and down the country, digital exclusion is a major issue. In this article, Leigh Hunt (City Manager, Coventry – CityFibre) explores why good connectivity is essential for […]