A Golden Decade of Opportunity for Â鶹ÊÓƵ begins
Leader of Â鶹ÊÓƵ Cllr Ian Ward talks about the golden decade of opportunity for the city.
"There are now fewer than 200 days to go until the Commonwealth Games get underway here in Â鶹ÊÓƵ, and the eyes of the world will be on our city. I have absolutely no doubt at all that this bold, young, creative city will shine in the spotlight.
"The Games will be our springboard for future success, but they are not the reason for optimism in 2022 and beyond. Our city is attracting record levels of investment, and we are building homes and creating the jobs and opportunities that we need.
"I have often said that 2022 represents the start of a Golden Decade of Opportunity for Â鶹ÊÓƵ, with the Commonwealth Games, HS2, the £1.9 billion Smithfield programme, Paradise, and the Digbeth development all underway.
"Local areas across Â鶹ÊÓƵ are receiving huge, transformative investment, with the Perry Barr Masterplan, the Longbridge redevelopment, the East Â鶹ÊÓƵ Regeneration Strategy and the Local Centres Strategy will share opportunity across our city.
"These projects will shape the lives and life chances of people growing up in Â鶹ÊÓƵ today, creating jobs, opportunities and pathways to prosperity. Our great challenge over the coming decade is ensuring that this opportunity is made available to every community in our city, lifting our children out of poverty, and giving everyone a stake in Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s growth and success.
"That is why the council has already made a strong case for Â鶹ÊÓƵ to be at the very heart of the Government’s Levelling Up agenda. We have set out our ambitions to challenge deeply ingrained structural inequalities, addressing poor health, poor educational attainment, low skills and incomes, congestion and air pollution, while bringing forward new homes, employment sites and community assets.
"As the Government develops its approach to levelling up, we offer a unique opportunity to develop, co-produce and deliver genuine change - at scale - for the people and communities at the beating heart of the UK.
"In under 200 days, the wait will be over and Â鶹ÊÓƵ will be ready to shine, as the people of this great city make the 2022 Commonwealth Games a huge success.
"So, let's deliver a Games to remember and let's show the rest of the world what we already know, that Â鶹ÊÓƵ is a bold and brilliant city that can strike gold on a global stage.
"2022 will be Â鶹ÊÓƵ's year - and in years to come, people will look back and say that this was just the start."
This blog was posted on 14 January 2022.