LAST weekend I was pleased to see Birmingham crowned the ‘Most Enterprising Place’ in Britain 2016. It’s a fantastic headline for the city but the award itself actually recognised the whole region’s success. The winning project was led by Birmingham City Council team but developed and represented by the 6 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in the region. The award recognised the work of this group of LEPs to improve confidence, encourage investment, and attract and retain business talent. It supported 1,000 businesses, generating £87 million in private sector investment and creating or safeguarding 4,300 jobs.

Wyre Forest is part of two of these LEPs, Greater Birmingham and Solihull, and Worcestershire, so we could think of ourselves as having contributed to a third of the success! That aside, what is clear is how dynamic and interconnected the success of businesses in the region are. Historically we have been home to innovative ideas but this latest news shows that we continue to the have skills, can-do attitude and the market awareness to make good ideas into great businesses.

This LEP grouping forms part of the plans to build a Midlands Engine. Last week the Midlands Engine took businesses to the USA, to showcase some of this excellent talent. One example of this is a Kidderminster textile business, The SundayGirl Company, set up at home three years ago, now has 40% of its revenues coming from outside the UK. I hope that others take up the mantle, following the vote to leave the European Union and increased recognition for the region. However to many this may seem like a big step and therefore in November I will be hosting an event in Wyre Forest for business Export support and guidance.

Small and medium sized businesses play a key role catering for our local tastes and needs; bringing in local jobs; using regional suppliers and maintain the economic health of an area. Small Business Saturday, coming up in early December, will be a great day to highlight this.

Though we cannot rest on our laurels, there are many to be proud of. One example is Kidderminster based Vision Labs who have been selected to represent the region at British Chambers of Commerce awards. I wish them all the best but already they, by being recognised at such a level, are flying the flag for us. National awards, like the “most enterprising” title, highlight the prospects for those wanting to start their own businesses, and demonstrate our proven track record to SMEs looking for a platform to grow.