Aston University, Birmingham City Council, Bournville Village Trust, The Pioneer Group, University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formalise their strategic relationship as part of a local network set up to support community wealth building.

The Birmingham Anchor Network is a partnership of six Birmingham-based institutions with combined budgets of over £4bn and a workforce of over 40,000. The aim of the network is to play a role in positively shaping the city economy and contributing to community wealth building in the city’s neighbourhoods of significant disadvantage.

Held at Aston University’s Conference Aston, the official signing of the MoU by Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, Councillor John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council, Peter Richmond, Chief Executive of Bournville Village Trust, Simon Wilson, Chief Executive of The Pioneer Group, Tim Jones of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Professor Richard Black, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Social Sciences of University of Birmingham, took place on Monday 17^th July.

The network was first established in September 2019, following an 18-month project led by the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) and funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust to understand the role that anchor institutions play in the Birmingham economy.

Founding member institutions Aston University, Birmingham City Council, Bournville Village Trust, The Pioneer Group, University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust wanted to achieve transformational change for the city by working together to maximise their positive impact in key areas of procurement, employment and management of land and assets.

The network is now seen as an economic asset in the city and a key delivery partner, having delivered the successful I Can project, which coordinated job vacancies in the NHS with those furthest from the job market.

Moving forward, its focus will include identifying key and inclusive procurement opportunities for the partners’ large budgets, ensuring that they are accessible to SMEs across Birmingham.

Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said:

“Aston University and its anchor institution partners in the network are major economic agents in the city. By collaborating in the key areas of procurement, employment and the management of land and assets, we all have the potential to play a powerful role in shaping the Birmingham economy for the better.

“The commitment that we are making with the signing of this MoU aligns with the new Aston 2030 strategy objective to enrich our local communities, especially in the Birmingham Innovation Quarter.”

Cllr John Cotton, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said:

“The Anchor Network has already shown it has the potential to help us tackle some of the big challenges facing Birmingham – helping people into better jobs and supporting local businesses and social enterprises. It’s an important element of our inclusive growth approach, with community wealth building at its heart, which seeks to ensure that the strengths of a growing economy reach every corner of the city and that the wealth is retained within our communities.

“My priority is to tackle inequalities in neighbourhoods right across the city and this network has a huge part to play. By working together and using all our resources we can bring real practical help to the people of Birmingham.”

Sarah Longlands, Chief Executive of The Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), said:

“CLES is proud of the role we have played in helping to bring anchor organisations around the table to deliver better jobs and public services in Birmingham.  We are also delighted to be continuing to work with the Birmingham Anchor Network partners as they sign this new commitment to working together in the long term.  Birmingham has been a pioneer in helping to show the economic benefits of a community wealth building approach, but we are now seeing adoption of an anchor approach being rolled out in many towns, cities and rural areas across the UK.”