Launch of Communities Managing Change Report – 6th June »
Join the Chamberlain Forum at Highbury Hall, for a new view of how resilience and wealth is made in neighbourhoods. Practical action that councils and community groups can take to build the city infrastructure of the future. Presentation and discussion of “Communities Managing Change” - Chamberlain Forum action research into: Localism Neighbourhood Planning Neighbourhood Hubs [...]
Cheaper Energy: Together »
With one in two families in some neighbourhoods struggling to pay fuel bills, Birmingham & Solihull Together promises cheaper bills by clubbing together. The scheme is open to anyone who lives in Birmingham or Solihull and – if you have your most recent gas and electric bills handy – it’s easy to check how much [...]
Students make University – Community Links »
More than 20 students from University of Birmingham’s Geography department have been working in community groups and public services in Birmingham and Sandwell for the past six weeks in a programme organised with the Chamberlain Forum. The University of Birmingham Community Research Placement Programme is an option for high-flying final year geography students. This year, [...]
Green Deal Needs ‘Neighbourhood Gateways’ »
Social enterprises and enterprising voluntary groups could play a vital role in delivering the government’s Green Deal policy to help householders invest in energy efficiency. Work led by Localise West Midlands, iSE and a number of neighbourhood groups in Birmingham and funded by Local Energy Assessment Fund shows how these groups could work as ‘neighbourhood gateways’ helping to seal the Green Deal with householders. Evaluation carried out by Chamberlain Forum suggests neighbourhood gateways have the potential to increase take-up of energy efficiency measures, create sustainable jobs in neighbourhoods and play an important part in reducing fuel poverty.
Elections – Yes to Labour; No to Mayors »
Yesterday’s elections saw Labour gain control of councils in towns and cities across the country including Dudley and Birmingham (detailed ward-by-ward analysis of the Birmingham vote follows>). In London, Boris Johnson is set to claim a second term as mayor; and Liverpool is waking up to its first democratically elected mayor. Voters in other big cities faced referenda on adopting elected mayors. Manchester, Coventry, Nottingham and Bradford all said ‘No’. The results of the mayor vote in Birmingham will be known later today. The ‘No’ campaign is, however, expected to win.
Time to Trade? »
What makes a country, a city or a community wealthy? Behind the statistics about Gross Domestic Product and the balance of trade, rates of unemployment and inflation are… people. People who, for example, care for their loved ones. If you place an economic value on the care people provide – for free – in England, it dwarfs the budget for the NHS or the value added by Tesco and the big banks. Underlying the cash economy, then is a core economy. And its currency…. is time. But what infrastructure do we have for sharing use of time? Does the idea of ‘trading time’ help? Will communities, cities and countries with a developed time economy be wealthier, and healthier, than ones without?
Photo Gallery
In A Fix? Welfare Cuts and Consumer Society
Time to DefendImprove Public Services!
Cheaper Energy: Together
Co-operative Council
Neighbourhood Timebanks, Carrs Lane – Tuesday 10 July
GOOGLE NEWS
- McIlhinney Plan Makes Major Changes to Liquor Bill - PoliticsPA June 18, 2013
- Farm Bill Foes Tangle GOP Leadership - Wall Street Journal June 18, 2013
- Researchers determine if Moral Monday protestors represent North Carolina - WCNC June 18, 2013
- Group reports on what's at stake for Northland in federal farm bill - Budgeteer June 18, 2013
- 'We hate to be called a food bank' - The Guardian June 18, 2013
- MotherJones: Is This Conservative Think Tank Astroturfing the EPA To Approve ... - Uprising June 18, 2013
- C-plus rating for Mass. on health - Boston Globe June 18, 2013