A great first meeting of the new parliamentary year for the West Midlands APPG. Thank you to our MPs, peers, speakers and Expert Advisory Board members for an engaging discussion on the opportunities and challenges facing the region. Looking forward to the year ahead!

A brilliant day for the West Midlands APPG! We kicked off with our Education Workstream at Aston University, before bringing our Advisory Board together for the first time this parliamentary year. An ambitious programme ahead, and a fantastic group to help deliver it. 💪

As Westminster returns, we're launching an ambitious year of activity to help position the West Midlands as an economic and academic powerhouse. ✅ Growth & investment ✅ Infrastructure ✅ Skills ✅ Culture Learn more: wmappg.co.uk/ #WestMidlands #RegionalGrowth

Great to reconvene the West Midlands APPG yesterday. Strong discussions on infrastructure, growth, skills, education and culture, along with a fantastic presentation from @CadentGasLtd. Looking forward to driving these priorities forward in the months ahead. #WestMidlands

Thrilled to host our latest APPG Advisory Board meeting! 🚀 We heard updates on progress with all four of our workstreams, plus lots of ideas for next steps. Excited to build on the momentum from our flagship culture inquiry! #APPG #Collaboration #Impact #WestMidlands

🚨 Milestone moment for the West Midlands APPG! We hosted our first Parliamentary Reception, launched the Culture, Place & Liveability report, & celebrated how culture drives growth, wellbeing & civic pride across the region. 🌟 #WestMidlands #Culture #Liveability #APPG

Final two in person Cultural Inquiry sessions today 🙌 📍 #Stafford this morning 📍 #Birmingham this afternoon Two places with proud cultural identities and creative ambition 🎭 Follow our LinkedIn for updates throughout the day linkedin.com/feed/update/urn…

A brilliant start to our Culture Inquiry in Worcester today 🎭 Great energy, honest insights, and a shared ambition for stronger cultural collaboration across the region from ReNEW, NW Cultural Compact, Severn Arts, Worcester Mela & Worcester City Council 🚀 #Culture #Arts

We are starting today in Worcester as we kick off in-person sessions across the West Midlands for our flagship inquiry into Culture, Place & Liveability 🎭🏘️ Stafford & Birmingham later this week. Watch this space! #WestMidlands #CultureAndPlace #RegionalGrowth

Excited for the first in-person evidence session in Worcester next Monday as we move into the next stage of our flagship Culture inquiry! We'll be hearing from a range of key local organisations on their perspectives. Next stops: Stafford & Birmingham on Feb 13. #CultureInquiry

Yesterday, we joined a roundtable with DBT Minister Chris Bryant & local businesses 🇬🇧 Discussions focused on barriers, gov support & unlocking intl opportunities🌍 Thanks to DBT & all businesses who contributed—looking forward to building on this momentum! #WestMidlands

Our Chair Dave Robertson MP secured a renewed commitment to the Midlands Rail Hub from the PM at #PMQs yesterday, following our APPG meeting the day before with Midlands Connect & Network Rail.

Yesterday’s APPG meeting was a pivotal one 💯📈 We heard presentations on Midlands Rail Hub, the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, and approved our flagship inquiry into Culture, Place & Liveability in the region. Huge thanks to all who attended – very exciting times ahead.

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has reiterated her commitment to Midlands Rail Hub in her budget speech today. This will have huge benefits for the region. @networkrail and @MidsConnect are due to be presenting on this at our next APPG meeting.

Ahead of the Chancellor’s Regional Investment Summit in Birmingham today, the Government has announced £50m to back local innovation and £30m for life sciences in the West Midlands - supporting projects that drive new medicines, cleaner fuels & low-carbon tech. 🌱💡 #WMinnovation

🏡 Big news for the West Midlands! Mayor Richard Parker launches the £40M Social Housing Accelerator Fund to create 1,000+ social rent homes. Collaboration is key!🔑 WMHAP, local councils & @WMCA are turning policy into real impact 🤝 #WestMidlands #SocialHousing #HousingForAll

Big wins for the West Midlands this week: ✅ Telford chosen to launch ‘Pride in Place’ ✅ £1.5bn govt backing for JLR ✅ Chancellor reaffirms commitment to Midlands Rail Hub ✅ Worcestershire Parkway recommended by New Towns Taskforce Exciting times for the region! 💯👊📈

📢BIG NEWS📢 coming out of Number 10 this week that the West Midlands will be hosting the UK’s first ever Regional Investment Summit on Tuesday 21st October in Birmingham📍 We will be sure to have an APPG presence at the summit - more details to follow on this very soon ⌛🔔

A Westminster Focus on the West Midlands 🤝🔓 The APPG was well represented at the West Midlands Growth Plan launch in Westminster yesterday. Over 200 leading political, business and community groups crammed into the Terrace Pavilion to welcome the Mayor’s growth plan.