Phase 1 - Building the evidence base
The first phase of the Strategy review involved evidence gathering. This work was structured under five main projects. The West Midlands Regional Observatory was commissioned to undertake the work involved in Projects 1, 2 and 3, alongside some of the region's academic partners. GHK Consulting Ltd was contracted to undertake Projects 4 and 5. For detailed information on the specific areas of this phase please select the relevant download below:
Summary proposals
Project groups
The five groups that were set up to assist the five main strands of work for the evidence gathering phase.
Role of project groups
A brief description of what is required of the members of the five project groups and what they are expected to contribute.
Completed reports and executive summaries
The first phase of the Strategy review is formally over and the findings from the five main projects under which the evidence gathering was structured are presented in the final reports and summaries below. This work was commissioned to fill the gaps and establish a formal evidence base for the Strategy review. These are not the only evidence which will inform the West Midlands Economic Strategy.
Project 1: Future Prospects for the Region's Economy
Project 2: Factors influencing the Relative Performance of the West Midlands’ Economy
Project 3: Functioning Economic Geography
Project 4: Evaluation of the Impact of the West Midlands Economic Strategy
Project 5: Evaluation of delivery mechanisms
WMES Synthesis Report
This synthesis report serves to summarise the work undertaken by the West Midlands Regional Observatory (WMRO) under the three themes: (1) Future Prospects for the West Midlands Economy and Employment, (2) Factors Influencing the Relative Performance of the West Midlands, and (3) The Functioning Economic Geography of the West Midlands.
Because each theme is specifically focused on a particular topic, there was a need to summarise the results of the three themes and to produce an integrated overview of their conclusions. The sytheses report is intended to fulfil that need, providing a summary of important issues and to noting some of the issues raised by regional stakeholders during the consultation process.
