Black Country news and blogs Sunday 28 June 2015
Localise West Midlands
137 storiesRSS feed for Localise West Midlands
Blog comment
Event: Guild of Independent Currencies: June Meetup 
Localise West Midlands 12 Jun 15
Date: 15th June 2015 Time: 9:30am to 5pm Where: Exeter Quaker Meeting House.
Blog comment
Is a quiet political revolution getting under way?
Localise West Midlands 25 May 15
As the old order with its class and gender hierarchies gave way, George Monbiot points out that the void filled with junk could have been occupied by a better society, built on mutual support and connectedness, without the stifling stratification of …
Blog comment
A localising message from former MP Andrew George and journalist George Monbiot
Localise West Midlands 15 May 15
Former MP Andrew George sent an email message today; though no longer in Parliament, he wants to work with colleagues of all parties to create a progressive alliance to challenge and oppose government action detrimental to those who need help, our …
Blog comment
Good taxpaying corporate citizens
Localise West Midlands 28 Apr 15
The Fair Tax Mark is being adopted by UK business setting a new standard in responsible tax practice – from the smallest shop to the biggest multinational.
Blog comment
Community energy solutions: Plymouth
Localise West Midlands 17 Apr 15
In 2012 Plymouth’s co-operative city council established a Low Carbon City Team, which helped to identify the city’s potential for community energy solutions and forge partnerships.
Blog comment
Could Brummie bonds fund house building?
Localise West Midlands 13 Apr 15
City councillor John Clancy, who once worked in the venture capital market, explains in a Chamberlain Files article, [accesse d via the Brummie ], that ‘Brummie bonds’ can provide much needed investment and kick-start building by local …
Blog comment
America: six big shifts towards an economy that distributes economic benefits widely and minimizes damage to the environment
Localise West Midlands 3 Apr 15
Sarah van Gelder (right) is co-founder and executive editor of YES! Magazine which feature powerful ideas and practical actions towards a more just and sustainable world.
Blog comment
Syriza MPs help to promote the social economy by donating 10-20% of their wage
Localise West Midlands 27 Mar 15
In a Co-operative News article , Anca Voinea notes that Syriza has highlighted the importance of reviving the co-op movement, seeing it as a distinct economic model that would be part of their movement for a broader social and solidarity economy.
Blog comment
The Birmingham Pound: not just a piece of cake…
Localise West Midlands 16 Mar 15
It’s been fantastic to see all the interest in the potential of a Birmingham Pound over the last few days.
Blog comment
A new citywide currency keeping money earned in city in the local economy
Localise West Midlands 12 Mar 15
Above: Karen Leach from Localise West Midlands and Andy Reeve from Impact Hub Birmingham who have produced a currency note exclusive to Birmingham – see http://www.
Blog comment
Co-operatives: raising and developing the weakest part of our local communities and civil society?
Localise West Midlands 6 Mar 15
The roots of the co-operative movement in Italy go back to 19th century workers’ associations, with credit services, agricultural and building co-ops forming an important part of the overall economy.
Blog comment
Preston: building a new local economics
Localise West Midlands 27 Feb 15
New Start magazine , which champions urban regeneration that is inclusive, sustainable and socially just, has reported on the work of CLES (Centre for Local Economic Strategies) with Preston City Council.
Blog comment
Future Governance for the West Midlands – a workshop: 24th March 2015
Localise West Midlands 26 Feb 15
At the UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM Please email to book a place .
Blog comment
The ‘GDP fetish’
Localise West Midlands 16 Feb 15
The FT’s Janan Ganesh recently ‘dismissed the Green Party as hippy eccentrics for, among other things, contemplating zero per cent gross domestic product growth’.
Blog comment
Community energy: co-operative, citizen-centred, decentralised
Localise West Midlands 14 Feb 15
Although a couple of weeks ago the government agreed to ban all fracking in protected areas, they are now reported as saying this may ‘unduly constrain the industry’ and fracking will be allowed to take place under National Parks and …
Blog comment
International localisers meet in person or via Facebook
Localise West Midlands 6 Feb 15
Speakers from around the world will be covering a range of interconnected topics – local food, technology, healthcare, local business, indigenous rights, environmental justice and much more.
Blog comment
Transition town focus
Localise West Midlands 30 Jan 15
A transition town is a grassroots community project that seeks to build resilience in the face of peak oil, climate destruction and economic instability.
Blog comment
Stroudco Food Hub
Localise West Midlands 25 Jan 15
Stroudco Food Hub – which has one part-time paid member of staff and an increasing group of enthusiastic volunteers is seven years old.
Blog comment
Merely enforce global governance arrangements or rebuild and rediversify economies?
Localise West Midlands 10 Jan 15
Globalisation – the open trading system – is fragmenting; it needs an enforcer – a hegemon, a concert of powers or global governance arrangements.
Blog comment
Theme of top post this year: realising the potential of local economic power
Localise West Midlands 29 Dec 14
Mainstreaming Community Economic Development is a major strand of LWM’s work that explores and supports an economic development approach that is based on making the most of local enterprise, existing business supply chains, networks, community …
Blog comment
Is the term ‘localism’ used by government to promote outcomes that contradict its original meaning?
Localise West Midlands 21 Dec 14
A thoughtful appraisal of localism by Ekklesia’s staff writers was brought to our attention by James Robertson’s December newsletter .
Blog comment
A different economic model: 2 – a constant, stable,‘steady state’ economy
Localise West Midlands 26 Nov 14
George Monbiot suggests that it is time for a government commission on post-growth economics which would invite contributions from those already investigating the possibility of moving towards a steady state economy: one that seeks distribution …
Blog comment
Devolution: 1854
Localise West Midlands 26 Nov 14
“We hate to have laws made for us at a distance.
Blog comment
Localise Birmingham? A lead from India
Localise West Midlands 23 Nov 14
The sheer size of the city was brought home to the writer who accidentally travelled the 49’s circuitous bus route which crossed many city wards.
Blog comment
A lesson for Britain: Brazil promotes food security and local food procurement, strengthening family farming
Localise West Midlands 29 Oct 14
Vested interests replacing the now defunct Flying Matters , a lobby group funded by the aviation industry, vigorously defend the profitable import of food from countries with malnourished people.
Blog comment
Could the end of economic growth bring fairer more prosperous society?
Localise West Midlands 7 Oct 14
New book to cause fireworks at the House of Lords Following on from Tim Jackson’s excellent Prosperity without Growth some years back, a new book, co-edited by locally based academic John Blewitt, is exploring the evidence around the growth dogma.
Blog comment
Think global, act local – H.T. Brigham, Coleshill
Localise West Midlands 18 Sep 14
Where did you buy your groceries from this week? Did you visit the independent traders on your local high street, or the one-stop-shop supermarket just down the road ? Which you choose will probably come down to several factors including, price, …
Blog comment
Globalisation – the open trading system – is fragmenting
Localise West Midlands 10 Sep 14
Philip Stephens, an associate editor, in the Financial Times : “ Globalisation – the open trading system – is fragmenting; it needs an enforcer – a hegemon, a concert of powers or global governance arrangements”.
Blog comment
Seeking active new LWM members
Localise West Midlands 14 Aug 14
We’re looking for new people to get actively involved in maximising the impact of Localise West Midlands and its ideas.
Blog comment
Seeking economic activists in the West Mids!
Localise West Midlands 14 Aug 14
“It’s really the right time for your organisation now” “The Localise Prosperity site and resources are fantastic – I can’t tell you how brilliant it was for someone in a role like mine to find the actions for communities.
Blog comment
The launch of the International Alliance for Localization
Localise West Midlands 8 Aug 14
The new International Alliance for Localization (IAL) aims to connect a growing network of individuals and organizations dedicated to exploring new approaches to today’s ecological, social, and economic expanding international dialogue and …
Blog comment
Swadeshi movement, which ‘prefers the neighbourhood over the remote’, affects Indian government policy
Localise West Midlands 30 Jul 14
New Delhi Television online reports that t he Swadeshi Jagran Manch and a farmers’ organisation met India’s Environment Minister today to protest against the go-ahead given by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee on July 18 to field trials …
Blog comment
Has Secretary of State (Elizabeth Truss) visited the LWM site?
Localise West Midlands 23 Jul 14
A Lancashire farmer sends news of a ministerial statement made by the new Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs , Elizabeth Truss .
Blog comment
Calls for a living wage
Localise West Midlands 8 Jul 14
Andrew Lydon writes that, over the last year, probably the most radical proposal made by Labour leader Ed Miliband is about the Living Wage and Living Wage Zones: “Living wage zones would work for everyone – the people who get decent pay, the…
Blog comment
True devolution? Has localism merely meant passing power to unelected micro-quangos?
Localise West Midlands 4 Jul 14
Professor Richard Batley, University of Birmingham (School of Government and Society) writes in the FT: “Constitutional devolution, convincingly argued, could be attractive in England, as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland .
Blog comment
You like what we do? Is there an opportunity here?
Localise West Midlands 23 Jun 14
“ It’s really the right time for your organisation now” “ The Localise Prosperity site and resources are fantastic – I can’t tell you how brilliant it was for someone in a role like mine to find the actions for communities.
Blog comment
The East of England Co-operative’s ‘Sourced Locally’ range
Localise West Midlands 20 Jun 14
Anthony Murray, editor of the Co-operative News , reports that rather than adopting the national Co-operative brand, one of the independent co-operative societies, the East of England Co-operative, has developed its own identity, based on its support…
Blog comment
Interest rates in the UK. Heading up
Localise West Midlands 17 Jun 14
Mainstream economic commentators are currently anticipating an upward movement in interest rates in the UK.
Blog comment
A Future Beyond Growth: event, Sat 5th July 9.30am
Localise West Midlands 2 Jun 14
You are invited to A Future Beyond Growth – a half-day event to explore the policy and practice changes needed for a better (sustainable and socially just) economy, and how we can make it happen.
Blog comment
Localising Prosperity? See Localise West Midlands’ new website
Localise West Midlands 25 May 14
On the Localising Prosperity website , Localise West Midlands asks if you want to maximise the benefits of economic development in your area: “Do you want a socially inclusive, redistributive, prosperous economy?” This is about localising …
Blog comment
Reflections – Food & Our Future discussion event
Localise West Midlands 15 May 14
A quick few reflections after our Food and Our Future event last night.
Blog comment
Research findings: allotments have good food yields without sacrificing soil quality
Localise West Midlands 13 May 14
Fruit growing on Hall Green allotment There are around 330,000 allotment plots in the UK, covering more than 8000 hectares and demand is growing, with more than 90,000 people currently on allotment waiting lists in the UK.
Blog comment
Participatory, inclusive, locally distinctive, inspiring and fun? Economic lessons from Futureshift Festival
Localise West Midlands 11 May 14
At the Futureshift Festival on 26 th April we held a session to discuss the wider economy and the system change implications of the Civic Foundry and Futureshift approach.
Blog comment
A message from Delhi about growth blindness: a manufactured disease
Localise West Midlands 9 May 14
An economic system created by and for moneyed interests: Analyst Devinder Sharma writes about universities, educational institutes and business schools which are churning out graduates and postgraduates who are made to believe in the magic potion of …
Blog comment
Relocalisation: an under reported issue in the French elections
Localise West Midlands 7 May 14
In the French election, left wing socialist Jean-Luc Melenchon has stressed the need to relocalise Europe’s economy and to do so by limiting imports.
Blog comment
Food for Thought for Food & Our Future on 14th May
Localise West Midlands 1 May 14
Our discussion event on food poverty, food access and health – Food Our Future in the West Midlands – is exactly two weeks away now and getting booked up already, so do book now .
Blog comment
Devolution is in the air
Localise West Midlands 22 Apr 14
Following the contribution on devolution from LWM board members, Cllr Phil Davis and former Director of the West Midlands Regional Forum of Local Authorities, George Morran, we see that a Survation poll , commissioned by Devolve Deliver , was …
Blog comment
Greater…. – a role model for Birmingham ?
Localise West Midlands 10 Apr 14
Cities offering themselves as sites for foreign manufacturing companies to make and sell into their national market can be found all over the world today.
Blog comment
Co-operative stores could sell good quality food produced on its farms by workers on decent terms and conditions
Localise West Midlands 28 Mar 14
Molly Scott Cato* writes: Comments from the Co-operative Group that the Co-operative Farms are a ‘non-core’ part of the business , suggests that the current generation of co-operative managers have a short-sighted view about their role in …
Blog comment
The Green Deal: why it has not taken off and what we can expect in the future
Localise West Midlands 27 Mar 14
A “must read” from Phil Beardmore for all interested in Green Deal Green New Deal : .