This document summarizes a presentation given by Paul Cadman on the Midlands region of England. It provides biographical details about Cadman and then discusses the latest economic data for the Midlands Engine and Midlands Connect initiatives. It notes strong output and employment growth in the region but issues with underinvestment in infrastructure and skills. The document calls for investment in clean energy, SMEs, regionalized health/education, and increasing exports to help the Midlands reach its economic potential and productivity gap.

1. The Midlands
Paul Cadman
MD
Mentor
Political Advisor

2. The Midlands Agenda
• Paul Cadman
• Latest PMI data
• Midlands Engine
• Midlands Connect
• Why are we here?
• Where can we go?
• Parting Shot

3. Paul Cadman
1. Born in Birmingham 1966
2. Father cricketer and professional footballer
3. Undiagnosed dyslexia and school
4. MMA and semi-professional rugby
5. Fire Service
6. Health & Safety and Employment Law
7. Mergers & Acquisitions
8. Automotive turnaround
9. Forces Recruitment
10. Politics and columnist

4. Latest PMI data
• Output growth in the WM & EM strongest in
Britain at 57 (down from 60.1 previously) and 55
(up from 53.5 in January) respectively.
• Output performance easing but remains vibrant,
with business activity accelerating in EM.
• Price pressures continue to strengthen in both
EM & WM, above UK levels.
• Tight labour market conditions in both EM & WM
persist.
• Infrastructure investment key to transforming
productivity prospects

5. Midlands Engine
• Strategic Economic Hubs:
• Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country;
• Nottingham and Derby;
• Leicester and Coventry; and
• North Staffordshire
• Population of 11 million
• Export surplus with China of £2.8 billion
• Trades with 178 countries worldwide
• 300,000 new jobs; GVA +£25 billion per year

6. Midlands Connect
• Connectivity; regionally, nationally, globally.
Smartly
• Road, rail and aviation corridors to support
areas of economic potential
• Alignment of 5 year bidding cycles
• Projects include Midlands Motorways, A1
upgrade, A46, multimodal studies around A52,
Leicester-Birmingham rail, Coventry-Leicester
rail, surface access to HS2

7. Why are we here?
• Deindustrialisation of Midlands: 75% of rail
contracts now with foreign owned companies
• Underinvestment in transport: 1 in 6 local roads
facing closure because of condition
• Decoupling of education from employment: a
lack of skilled people is a serious drag on
performance
• Sajid Javid £34 billion productivity gap
• Public sector underinvestment: transport capital
investment in the region lagging London by £15
billion in the ten years to 2015

8. Where can we go?
• Generation of our own clean energy: fabrication and
production
the price of electricity in the UK for industrial users is 9.74p per kwh
whereas in Sweden it is 3.6p, Germany 7.95p, Finland 4.4p, France 5.5p
and Spain 5.7p
• Investment in small and medium sized businesses
• Regionalise health and education: put the professionals in
charge: underperformance in schools costs £15 billion per
year
• Only between 5% and 10% of small businesses export
abroad: another 100,000 SME could add £16 billion GVA
• Business leaders must take the lead: we cannot outsource
the critical factors to our growth

9. Parting shot
Unless you are clear about your purpose and
your values and are doing something that you
really care about, it is difficult to act as a
leader: You are unlikely to possess the will and
the resilience that are needed to carry you
through the inevitable uncertainties and
setbacks.
Why Should Anyone Be Led by You: Goffee & Jones (2006)