Update on West Midlands Economic Strategy

See previous post for digest of the consultation draft of the West Midlands' Regional Economic Strategy (RES) but there is now a news update....

The final RES will be published on 10th December along with the Regional Spatial Strategy but there is another draft of it published online now (see bottom of this page).

So, just to update you on those all-important word counts:

• 'Creative Industries'
  Down from 6 mentions in original draft to 3 mentions in the current draft.
• 'Manufacturing'
  Up from 24 mentions to 34 mentions.
• 'Carbon'
  Up from 53 mentions to 105 mentions.
• 'Birmingham'
  Up from 59 mentions to 109 mentions.

One I didn't mention last time was:

• 'Digital'
  Up from 4 mentions to a mighty 9.

What does all this tell us? That the region's Creative Industries didn't shout loud enough during the consultation period? Maybe; or that this stuff matters less than we think (the North West's RES, for example, pays equally scant attention to the Creative Industries).

It's all in the delivery of course - the strategy comes into effect from April 2008.

Live Music Forum Findings and Recommendations - The Digested Read

Ladies and Gentleman for tonight's preformance we’ve been analysing the effect of the 2003 Licensing Act on the UK’s Live Music scene. It's taken us over three years to do it and we can tell you right here and now that....

IT HAS MADE ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE TO THE LIVE MUSIC SCENE WHATSOEVER

Thank you very much and goodnight.

Oh hang on, we're not quite done yet. We actually made a total of 28 recommendations to government and got some corking case studies along the way. Here's our setlist for tonight:

1. Sorry Blame it on Me
   The government promised an 'explosion' in live music on the back of this act. That was never going to happen but at least it hasn't been the death of live as many predicted.
   
   
2. Music for Airports
   'Incidental' music doesn't require a licence but unfortunately the act fails to define what qualifies as 'incidental'. The test for incidental ("does the volume of the music disrupt or predominate over other activities?") is a bit of a nonsense but at least if you're a carol singer then you should be okay.
   
   
3. Paranoid
   Some councils play really dirty, rejecting just about every request that comes their way. We so want to name names but we can't. There aren't many of them but that doesn't help if you happen to live in their borough.
   
   
4. Just Say No
   Everything seems a bit too geared to objecting to a live music licence application. Nobody seems to realise you can speak in favour of an application as well as against it.
   
   
5. Cum on Feel the Noize
   Councils, please stop and think about it before granting permission to build new residential property next to entertainment areas. No really, just stop and think for a minute - you're only creating extra hassle for yourself. In fact, just act on the guidance you already have.
   
   
6. Atmosphere
   Okay so we've stopped crying into our real ales pots about the old two-in-a-bar rule but common sense suggests making non-amplified music exempt from needing to be licensed.
   
   
7. Teenage Kicks
   The kids have gotta rehearse man, they're the future of live music and it keeps them off the streets. We set up a free rehearsal space in Wrexham and they came in their droves. Every town should have one.
   

This is our last ever gig as the lead singer is going solo but we'd just like to bow out with one final number:

8. Three is the Magic Number
   Three is the number of other really useful bits of research that tell us (or will tell us) way more about live music and its economic impact than we've ever known before:
   
   Baseline study of the existing live music scene in England and Wales.
   Licensing Act 2003: the experience of smaller establishments in applying for live music authorisation.
   The 2007 Live Music Survey.

The digested read, digested: For Those About to Rock - We Salute You!