West Midlands’ Circular Economy Routemap

Convene local authority constituent members and other key partners to obtain buy-in and co-design a region-wide behavioural change programme.

• Launch a comprehensive behavioural change programme for the region aligned with other WM2041 programmes of work.

• Partner with schools to launch waste prevention programmes.

WMCA’s role is to convene key partners to harmonise behavioural change programmes and messaging.

• Universities and colleges including Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Coventry, Warwick University, Birmingham City University, Aston Business School and Dudley College.

• Local primary and secondary schools.

• Anchor institutions including CLES.

• Seven local authority members.

• LEPs.

• Circular Economy Club.

• Sustainability West Midlands.

• Circular Economy Club: Example of an organisation driving behavioural change.

• For the sharing economy, it is worth building on existing initiatives such as Share Shacks.

• Opportunity to build on the resources made available by companies such as Wastebusters.

• Map skills gaps relating to the circular economy, aligning training requirements with other skills needs in the region. This should build on WMCA’s Regional Skills Plan.
• Support creation of circular economy apprenticeships in the region, working with local colleges and universities.
• Determine best location and structure for a physical or virtual regional circular economy training hub, building on existing centres of excellence. This should build on existing initiatives and growth hubs.

• Launch a regional circular economy training programme within existing centres of excellence. This should align with existing plans for Growth Hubs.

• Lobby the national government to include circular economy basics into the national curriculum.

• WMCA’s role is to lead in assessing region- wide skills gaps.
• WMCA’s role is also to support and enable partners in creating up skilling and training opportunities across the region.

• Universities and colleges including Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Coventry, Warwick University, Birmingham City University, Aston Business School and Dudley College.

• Dudley College and Wolverhampton University for construction-related skills and training.

• Warwick University and Birmingham University for food and agriculture- related work.

• LEPs including GBSLEP’s Skills and Apprenticeships Hubs.

• MOBIE.

• -elo Horizonte’s Digital Programme: The government established an electronics remanufacturing facility and a Computer Reconditioning Centre where citizens from low- income communities receive extensive training to restore IT equipment.
• The refurbished equipment then goes on to support over 300 digital inclusion sites where locals have free access to computers and the internet as well as varied training opportunities in basic digital literacy.

• Identify, map and review existing business support programmes to determine gaps and propose areas of improvement. 3.3.2 Organise co-creation workshops with regional businesses to develop new support programmes.
• Identify, map and review existing funds and grants to determine gaps and inform development of new investment vehicles.
• Select circular economy requirements for relevant WMCA funds and grants.
• Find partners and/or sponsors to develop new funding vehicle.

• Create with partners a social innovation fund for volunteer organisations supporting local communities around the circular economy. This should align with the Social Economic Business Plan.

• Create with partners a social venture capital investment vehicle to support circular economy initiatives. This should align with the Social Economic Business Plan.

• Create a centralised repository to signpost available business support, fundings and grants relating to the circular economy.

• WMCA’s role is to lead in assessing existing support programmes and mechanisms to determine what gaps need to be addressed.
• WMCA’s role is also to convene partners and facilitate the development of new support programmes and mechanisms.

• Existing business support programmes such as ATETA, ARLI, BASIS, EBRI, ENTress and ASG.

• Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.

• Sustainability West Midlands.

• Circular Economy Club.

• Anchor institutions including CLES.

• ReLondon: Previously called Advance London, it was set up by LWARB and offers tailored support to SMEs. They also provide grants for businesses to trial and adopt circular business models. By the end of 2018, they had provided over 700 hours of bespoke support to 112 SMEs.

• Bristol City Fund Model: Example of a collaborative model to provide funds to support inclusive, balanced growth.