There are many organisations working across the West Midlands in a range of policy areas and delivering many different programmes and projects. Their work is guided by regional strategies. Much of our work at the Observatory is related to regional strategies.
West Midlands Regional Concordat
The West Midlands Regional Concordat (PDF, 1.49mb) is an agreement between the main regional organisations, including the Observatory. The Concordat provides a framework for partnership working between the organisations and for the integration of the regional strategies. There are 16 Concordat partners, each listed at the right of this page. The Concordat also details the various regional strategies, which are described below with links to the documents themselves.
Regional Economic Strategy
Advantage West Midlands
Connecting to Success, the West Midlands Economic Strategy (PDF, 1.5mb) provides the basis for the economic development and regeneration of the West Midlands region. The Strategy sets out the agreed actions needed for the region to be recognised as world class by 2010. It also looks forward to 2020, establishing what more the region needs to do to continue to improve its economic performance.
This updated strategy was published in December 2007. As part of the review, the Observatory developed a monitoring framework of indicators, which are being used to monitor the strategy's progress.
Regional Spatial Strategy
West Midlands Regional Assembly
The Regional Spatial Strategy (previously known as the Regional Planning Guidance) provides a framework for local authority development plans and local transport plans. It incorporates the Regional Transport Strategy. The strategy allows local authorities to deliver coherent regional development.
The latest version was published in January 2008.
Regional Sustainable Development Framework
Sustainability West Midlands
The Regional Sustainable Development Framework (PDF, 320kb) aims to help people that develop, review and implement strategies, policies and plans in the West Midlands to ensure their work contributes towards a sustainable future for the region. The framework is designed to support regional delivery of the UK Sustainable Development Strategy Securing the Future. The Framework was published in July 2006 and refreshed in January 2008 to bring it into line with latest government policies.
Regional Biodiversity Strategy
West Midlands Biodiversity Partnership
The region contains a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes, but in recent decades our plants and animals have suffered major declines. There are continuing pressures from changing land uses and climate change. The Regional Biodiversity Strategy, Restoring the Region's Wildlife (PDF, 1.76mb), aims to meet these challenges. It was published in 2005.
Valuing People and Places
West Midlands cultural bodies
The Valuing People and Places actions update (PDF, 145kb) and priorities for action (PDF, 1.7mb) represent a shared commitment between the region's key cultural and development organisations towards cultural excellence and development in the West Midlands. They cover arts, sport, museums, heritage, libraries, archives, creative industries and tourism.
Regional Energy Strategy
Energy West Midlands
The Regional Energy Strategy (PDF, 238kb) aims to ensure a sustainable, secure and affordable supply of energy for everyone in the region. It also aims to improve energy efficiency, increase use of renewable energy and ensure that business benefits from opportunities to produce energy efficient products. It was published in November 2004. The Observatory published an energy strategy monitoring report in May 2006.
Regional European Strategy
West Midlands Regional Assembly
The West Midlands European Strategy (PDF, 2.92mb) sets out for the first time the aspiration for the West Midlands to become recognised as a world class region through being fully engaged and having a powerful voice in Europe, in particular within the European Union. It was published in June 2008.
Regional Forestry Framework
Forestry Commission
Growing our Future (PDF, 2.94MB) is the Regional Forestry Framework. Its vision is to create a viable and inclusive woodland and forestry sector that maximises sustainable development through delivery of economic, environmental, cultural and social benefits to the people of the region. It was published in 2004; the current delivery plan (PDF, 440KB) covers 2008-2011.
Regional Freight Strategy
West Midlands Regional Assembly
The vision for the Regional Freight Strategy (PDF, 1.71mb) is "to create a framework for freight movements within the West Midlands which nurtures the development of regional and national economies in a sustainable manner, whilst recognising the wider current and long-term needs for efficient distribution and protecting the environment." It was published in 2007.
Regional Health & Well-being Strategy
West Midlands Regional Assembly
The vision for the Regional Health and Well-being Strategy is "to maintain, enhance, improve and protect the health and well-being of people in the Region and to reduce health inequalities by 2020 within environmental limits, so not to compromise healthy life for future generations." It was published in January 2008.
Regional Housing Strategy
West Midlands Regional Assembly
The Regional Housing Strategy aims to secure mixed and balanced communities across the West Midlands. It applies the principles set out in the Regional Spatial Strategy to the region's housing market. It also guides investment decisions tackling the issues of decent homes and affordable housing. The strategy was published in 2005.
Regional ICT Strategy
Advantage West Midlands
Digital West Midlands, the Regional ICT Strategy (PDF, 352kb) has a vision that "by 2010 the West Midlands will be an exemplar region, exploiting and coordinating its Information and Communications Technologies to help drive the UK economy beyond the knowledge divide through enhanced productivity, competitiveness and efficiency." It was published in 2006.
Regional Language Strategy
Advantage West Midlands
The Regional Language Strategy (PDF, 1.92MB) aims to fill the skills gap in languages in order to allow the region to meet its challenges of increasing international trade, maintaining and increasing levels of inward investment and achieving social inclusion. It was published in 2003.
Regional Marketing Strategy
Advantage West Midlands
The Regional Marketing Strategy (PDF, 166kb) aims to improve the region's image among key audiences whose perceptions – and the choices they make as a consequence – have a significant impact on the health of the regional economy. It was published in 2002.
Regional Rural Delivery Framework
Rural Accord West Midlands
The Rural Delivery Framework (PDF, 566kb) is an agreed, integrated frame of reference for rural delivery, which will guide partners and stakeholders in their activities to enhance the economy, environment and quality of life in the region. It was published in 2006.
Regional Skills Partnership
Regional Skills Partnership Introduction & Priorities (PDF, 1.33MB)
The West Midlands Regional Skills Partnership was established to lead the skills agenda in the West Midlands and act as a catalyst for real change. It aims to create a simple demand-led approach to skills that aligns supply with the needs of employers, individuals and the regional economy.
The introduction and priorities of the Partnership were published in 2005. The Observatory receives substantial funding from the Partnership to carry out a programme of research to support it.
Regional Social Enterprise Framework
Advantage West Midlands
A Point to Prove, the Regional Social Enterprise Framework (PDF, 360kb) aims to stimulate the development of a competitive and forward-looking social enterprise sector in the region. It is also designed to raise the profile of the sector and to provide clarity on the component parts and current status of the sector within the region. It was published in 2004.
Regional Visitor Economy Strategy
Advantage West Midlands
The vision of the Regional Visitor Economy Strategy (PDF, 2.73mb) is for the West Midlands "to be a global visitor destination where people, business and culture choose to connect". It was published in 2008.