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Communications

In a previous life, I worked in communications. Here are a selection of stories successfully pitched to national and international media on behalf of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Andy Street, former Mayor of the West Midlands, and Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands

inews.co.uk •

Labour steering group on HS2 North replacement line 'expected within weeks'

The Labour Mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands expect the Government to set up a steering group for a new rail line to replace the axed northern leg of HS2 within weeks.Andy Burnham and Richard Parker gave their full backing to a proposal put forward by a consortium of private-sector businesses today for a new project branded the Midlands-North West Rail Link.The idea is to build a 50-mile rail track along roughly the same route as the axed part of HS2, but at a lower specificatio...
Housing Digital •

£3.3m social housing scheme underway in Telford & Wrekin

Work is underway to build a new multi-million-pound social housing development in Dawley, Shropshire.

Wrekin Housing Trust is working with local developer R1 Living to build 18 energy efficient homes at a site on Webb Crescent.

The breaking of ground marks the first construction milestone for the £3.3m project, which is expected to be completed by summer 2025. The development will feature a mix of family homes, apartments and bungalows – all for social rent.

The regeneration project has...
BBC News •

West Midlands Mayor commits to housebuilding revolution

The West Midlands Mayor has said he is committed to a 'revolution' in housebuilding.Labour's Richard Parker spoke at a new development on the former Cookley Works steel factory in Brierley Hill, where all properties are either for sale under shared ownership or available at affordable rent.Mr Parker said the completion of the 71-home project was "the tip of the iceberg" in relation to the challenge of tackling a shortage of homes in the region.It comes as the government reveals proposals to incr...

How I'll make the West Midlands successful, by new mayor Richard Parker

It is no secret that I want to bring buses back under public control. The current system isn't working. We need bus services to be more accessible and affordable. On the doorstep I have heard countless tales of people not being able to go to work, their doctors' appointments, or school, because of our inadequate transport system.

Currently, we are pumping almost £75 million of annual subsidies into our bus system to avoid inflation-busting fare increases or severe reductions in services and rou
Inside Housing •

Andy Street outlines plan to treble social housing delivery

West Midlands mayor Andy Street has pledged to treble the number of social homes being built in the region as he campaigns for re-election.

Mr Street said the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) would directly fund the building of social housing for the first time using newly devolved affordable homes powers.

Central government committed to handing over control of the region’s Affordable Homes Programme to the combined authority as part of a devolution deal signed in March 2023.
BBC News •

Edgbaston cricket stadium redevelopment receives funding boost

A major hotel will be built and a spectator stand will be redeveloped at Edgbaston Stadium under new plans.

Part funded by an £18m loan from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), the project includes plans to develop a four-star hotel at the Birmingham cricket ground.

The proposed hotel would include a a rooftop terrace, as well as pitch-view rooms with balconies.

Subject to planning approval, the work is due to begin September 2025, with construction expected to take up to two years.
The Guardian •

‘Emotionally exhausting’: Richard Parker on his surprise mayoral win

It’s been just over a week since Richard Parker became mayor of the West Midlands, in the most dramatic result of this year’s elections. His win, against the power of “Brand Andy” Street, came as a shock – even to the man with the red rosette.“I had only written a losing speech. I’m not a negative person at all, but I think the early signals coming from [vote] sampling was that it was going to be very difficult for me to win,” he said. “I was just trying to prepare myself the best way for a nega...
Los Angeles Times •

Cheers to being crooked again. English pub razed after a fire to be rebuilt as it was

The 18th century Crooked House pub near Dudley, England, burned and was unlawfully bulldozed. Now its owners have been ordered to rebuild and keep its previous, lopsided specifications.

The owners of a quirky 18th century British pub unlawfully bulldozed after a mysterious fire last year were ordered Tuesday by a local council to rebuild it — and to stick to its original, lopsided dimensions.

The watering hole — known as the Crooked House for its leaning walls and tilting foundation — favored
The Guardian •

Mayors put forward alternatives to HS2 scrapped northern section

Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, and Andy Street, the Tory mayor of the West Midlands, have joined forces on alternative and cheaper plans for the scrapped section of HS2, warning that “to do nothing is not an option”.

Burnham and Street shared a stage on Wednesday to put forward three options after the government abandoned the long-promised northern section of the high-speed rail line.

The mayors said their largely privately funded alternatives would cost “considerably le
BBC News •

Black Country historic pubs submitted for Grade II listing

A group of historic pubs have been submitted for Grade II-listed status in a bid to protect their legacy.

Five pubs across the Black Country were nominated by the public as part of the List Your Local initiative by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) in partnership with the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).

The list has been sent to Historic England to be reviewed and if agreed, the public body will then ask the secretary of state for culture, media, and sport, for approval.

It follows t
New Statesman •

Boosting the power of Britain’s creative industries

In the overall push for economic growth, one sector in particular has gone from strength to strength over the past decade: Britain’s creative industries.

Britain’s creative industries are universally renowned and generate increasing revenues, both internationally and domestically. Over the past decade, the sector has grown at more than 1.5-times the rate of the wider economy, contributing £108bn in gross value added (GVA) annually.

The creative industries are also, increasingly, a major provid
The Times •

Head start for afro haircare entrepreneur who turned down Dragon

A first-time entrepreneur has taken her afro haircare business from being valued at £125,000 on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den programme to £3 million in just two years.

Kameese Davis, chief executive of Nylah’s Naturals, turned down an offer of £50,000 from entrepreneur Sara Davies for 40 per cent of her business after appearing on the TV show in 2021.

Davis, 41, from from Sandwell in the West Midlands, has secured £530,000 for a minority stake from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund and the West Mi
Times Of India •

Preity Zinta to receive honorary doctorate at Diwali weekend celebrations in Birmingham | Hindi Movie News - Times of India

Preity G Zinta, one of the most popular and recognisable stars of Indian cinema, is set to receive an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University ( BCU ) ahead of her visit to the West Midlands next weekend to help with the region’s Diwali celebrations.The 48-year-old will accept the honour in recognition of her contribution to Bollywood and the business world.It is understood the honorary degree will be formally presented to her by BCU in India next year.Ms Zinta will join Andy Street, M
The Mirror •

Failure to complete HS2 will be betrayal of levelling up promises, voters warn

Failure to complete HS2 will be a betrayal of the Tories’ promises to level up the country, voters have warned as Rishi Sunak prepares to mutilate the project.

The PM is preparing to use his first party conference as leader to ditch the leg of the high speed line between Manchester and Birmingham. But the gathering turned into civil war as soon as it started on Sunday as his ministers and MPs squabbled over how to avoid the threat of electoral oblivion.

Polling shows Mr Sunak faces a backlash
BBC News •

UK steel purchase for tram tracks announced

The purchase of more than 860 tonnes of UK-made steel, for new rail tracks needed for the ongoing expansion of the Metro tram network, has been announced by the West Midlands mayor.

Andy Street signed a charter that enables government and other organisations to signal a commitment to using UK steel in major projects.

The announcement and signing took place as he officially opened steel firm Marcegaglia UK's new Oldbury facility.

West Midlands Metro has said it would expand in the future to se
The Mirror •

Huge light rail order for UK steel boosts industry amid calls to buy British

Britain's steel industry will receive a huge boost today when an 860-tonne order to help build a light railway extension is unveiled.

West Midlands Metro Mayor Andy Street is due to sign the UK Steel Charter pledge to use British-made metal as much as possible in public procurement deals. He will become the country’s first Metro Mayor to adopt the Charter, which is pioneered by trade body UK Steel.

Mr Street, who is due to visit Marcegaglia’s Oldbury site in Sandwell, said: “By signing the UK