SWM News November 2018 - A Clean Revolution for the West Midlands?

The new budget revealed on 29 October was described as being the end of austerity and includes various investments and support that will benefit sustainability in our region. In 'Our Comment,' Leo Morton, our Volunteer Communications Officer, gives his perspective on the budget and its impact on the West Midlands.

Consultation on the West Midlands Local Industrial Strategy (LIS) closed on 15 November and in our consultation response we question whether the current draft really does live up to being the first 'Clean Growth Local Industrial Strategy' as stated as an ambition by the WMCA in their 2018-19 annual plan.

Now is the right time to demand and shape sustainability action in the region, and our Annual Conference on 03 December is your opportunity to have your voice heard.

We'll hear from the WMCA as well as Worcestershire, the Marches and Stoke & Staffordshire LEPs on development of their LIS and how the region is set to be part of the Government’s ambition to locally strengthen economies and productivity. Our conference will also include a keynote from Myles Allen, contributing author of the IPCC report to enable discussion on how the region can shape policy and practice in the global fight against climate change. Are the two compatible?

With fewer than ten places still available, book yours now! We hope to see you there.

Anna Bright, Chief Executive, on behalf of the SWM Team

• On 28 November. Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme (CWGBP) is hosting an event looking at funding opportunities and SME case studies.
• By 30 November. Veolia is running its EnviroGrant scheme where grants of up to £1,000 are available to community groups and environmental schemes for community projects.
• By 30 November. £46m has been announced for NHS trusts to expand their use of LED lighting, in order to reduce bills, maintenance and carbon emissions.
• By 5 December. The £20m Hydrogen Supply programme aims to accelerate the development of low carbon bulk hydrogen supply solutions.
• By 6 December. UK businesses can apply for up to £4m to research and development technologies that accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles.
• By 7 December.  UK businesses can register outline proposals for grant funding to reduce the issues of plastics which are wasted/not recyclable.
• By 12 December. £23m is available from government for the development of better and more resilient battery technology and supply chains as part of the Faraday Battery Challenge.
• By 9 January 2018. The UK Government has launched funding for innovative ideas to reduce air pollution, specifically as a result of road transport and industrial vehicles.
• By 28 February 2019. The ERDF Business Growth Programme has been extended. This is to help SMEs grow in selected areas in the West Midlands.
• By March 2019. SMEs can obtain free energy audits and 40% grant funding towards energy efficiency measures in Greater Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country.
• By May 2019. SMEs can benefit from the Keele Research and Innovation Support Programme (KRISP) to help develop products, processes or services.
• By June 2019. Businesses in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent can benefit from a £5m funding pot towards expanding business premises or renovating under-utilised areas.
• On-going. The Community and Environment Fund is to provide benefits to communities along the route disrupted by the construction of HS2.
• On-going. BEIS funding of around £162m is available in industrial research and innovation, including Carbon Capture, Use and Storage (CCUS).
• On-going. £320m is being made available in UK for heat network projects.as part of the Heat Network Investment Project (HNIP).
• On-going. Shropshire SME Manufacturers can apply for small grants to help part-fund a business improvement project and grow the business.

Over the past year we have promoted >£700 million of accessible funding.

• SWM is exhibiting and speaking at UHEI 2018 in Solihull, where key issues from the Healthcare and Higher Education sectors will be addressed on 27-28 November.
• CWGBP is hosting an event looking at funding opportunities and case studies for SMEs in Coventry and Warwickshire on 28 November.
• Cenex is running its Mobility-as-a-Service conference on 28 November, looking at the potential future shift away from individually owned vehicles.
• ICE West Midlands is running a sustainable procurement event on 29 November, hearing from Paul Sheffield CBE on greater societal, economic and environmental gains.
• SWM's popular Annual Conference takes place on 3 December focusing on "Local Industrial Strategies - A Clean Revolution for the WM?". Sign up here - only a few places remain!
• SWM, in partnership with the Innovation Alliance, convenes the latest Innovative Low Carbon Working Group meeting on 6 December at the Manufacturing Technology Centre.
• Worcestershire County Council is running an event on 12 December for SMEs, giving personalised advice on energy efficiency and resource efficiency.
• SWM is a partner in next June's Flood & Coast conference, aiming to deliver excellence in flood risk management, convened by our members the Environment Agency. 

A full list of upcoming events is available here as well as our full member list here.

• SWM has published its latest Roadmap monitoring report that outlines how the region is performing against our 2020 vision and roadmap. 
• SWM welcomes new member Ecofocus Group Ltd, a Surrey-based sustainable technology business looking to expand operations into the West Midlands.
• SWM welcomes new member Contented Ltd who advocates the West Midlands as a hub for low carbon technology and work with businesses looking to use clean technology.
• SWM welcomes new member Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust who are committed to being a sustainable trust and improving quality of life for the people they serve.
• sben has been successful in securing an extension to its Low Carbon Business Evolution Programme (LCBEP), supporting SMEs in Stoke & Staffordshire with reducing their energy bills.
• The University of Birmingham is advertising its College of Social Sciences: Head of Facilities role. Applications close on 16 December.
• Marches Energy Agency is looking to recruit a new volunteer trustee to sit on their board four times a year and shape the changes of the organisation.
• SWM has been working with the Black Country Technical Assistance Team to deliver four successful events to encourage applications for ERDF funding.
• SWM has published its review of the recent West Midlands Local Industrial Strategy as produced by the West Midlands Combined Authority.

SWM members can send their events, research or other contributions to enquiries@swm.org.uk to be included in the next newsletter. Not a member? There are many advantages to SWM membership; find out more here.

• The Met Office has published the latest version of the UK Climate Projections, outlining how the climate will change in the UK up to 2100. This supersedes the previous UKCP09 interface.
• The Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands has written several blogs on lessons learnt at the recent Venturefest West Midlands event.
• Climate-KIC is searching for entrepreneurs to pitch their ‘cleantech’ start-up to an expert jury. Promising entrepreneurs can then join their Accelerator Programme.
• Energy Capital is hosting its conference on 27 November in Birmingham, looking at how regional energy change can be delivered.
• Nottingham City Council is currently advertising for Regional Senior Energy Project Officer roles based across West Midlands LEPs. Applications close on 2 December.

For a full list of all our upcoming events, visit our events page here. For news items, visit our news page here.

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