Interview with Amrita Sidhu

The city’s young professional network is always happy to welcome a new face, and last week, as part of a programme of engaging with individual Future members, I met a new arrival who has fallen for everything Birmingham has to offer.
Amrita Sidhu arrived in Birmingham 12 months ago, after spending 3 years working with PriceWaterhouseCoopers in London. Amrita followed the majority of graduates to the capital after completing a three year Maths & Computer Science degree at Oxford. Her transfer to the Forensic Services department in PWC’s Birmingham office was initially a 6 month plan, which was then extended for a further 6 months, before Amrita became a Birmingham member of staff in September.
‘The appeal of Birmingham was both a social and a work one’ Amrita said as we caught up over a coffee in Starbucks on Colmore Row. ‘Having friends and family who have both lived and worked in the city, I was sure that I would be welcomed into the close knit community immediately. The opportunity to work as part of the Birmingham office was one that I took to continue to develop my career with my firm, and PwC has given me a fantastic opportunity to continue to progress’.
Having spent three years completing a 45 minute commute to and from the office in London, Amrita now enjoys the walk from Jewellery Quarter to Cornwall Court. She also enjoys being within easy reach of the important areas of the city, being able to walk to Brindleyplace for an after work drink, or being close enough to venture into one of the small bars in and around St Paul’s Square. ‘The business community of Birmingham is a vibrant one, big enough to attract some of the major investment banks, but compact enough that you can easily walk between offices for meetings. I came to Birmingham for the job opportunity here, and with the continued development of the city, I can see why more people are choosing Birmingham over London’.
Birmingham Future has also played a part in helping Amrita settle into a new business environment, with Speed Networking sessions and opportunities to mingle with the great and the good of the city.
When I challenged Amrita on how Birmingham could continue to attract new talent, and to develop them while they are here, her answer was clear. ‘The city needs to continue to attract the traditionally London based firms here, to give graduates the option of choosing Birmingham rather than heading to London. It’s a choice that I think many of them would make. I would also like to see the development of a greater social scene in the city. As a great University city, Birmingham does lack the after bar venues you see in other cities.’
In all Amrita is proud to call herself an adopted Brummie, and the city is delighted to welcome her into her new working environment. With talent like Amrita making the choice to work in Birmingham, the future for the city, and the individuals who choose to make it home, continues to look bright.

Jason Norris, Chair of the Talent, Retention & Development Committee and Membership Committee member.

The Colmore Business Improvement District is go go go…

The Colmore BID is being led by Birmingham Forward and Birmingham Future, supported by Birmingham City Centre Partnership and was launched last week at an event hosted by PwC.

The BID Prospectus lists the ten BID pledges, details the key actions that will be undertaken, provides a detailed breakdown of the first year’s budget and explains the voting process for early 2009.

The Colmore Business District is Birmingham’s premier concentration of professional and business service firms and home to some 500 companies that employ almost 24,000 people. The area welcomes many of the city’s business visitors and is due to play a major role in the development of the city centre as detailed in the Big City Plan.

This is the first UK BID with such a high concentration of commercial occupants at over 90%.

A part of the BID’s key pledges is a promise to promote a clear identity for the district and to deliver a high quality and user friendly “streetscape.” Also contained within the prospectus are pledges to make the area safer and cleaner. It is also hoped that the BID will bring a collective voice for the business community within the area and opportunities to network and engage with neighbours.

Within the specific actions detailed by the BID is the recruitment, during the first year, of a team of “street wardens” to provide both meet and greet in addition to safety and security services to staff and visitors alike. There is also a commitment to improve safety with upgraded lighting and other physical improvements and to initiate a range of street and IT based signage and information media.

The BID will be financed by an annual levy being collected by Birmingham City Council. All business sectors will be included and a 1% levy of rateable value will be charged on all properties with a rateable value in excess of £10,000 per annum. The largest occupiers in the district will have their contributions capped.

As part of the prospectus the BID team presented the first year’s spending priorities from an anticipated budget of £680,000. Of this £170,000 (25%) will be allocated to improving the streetscape and public realm environment including the commissioning of sculpture, greening, floral displays and festive lighting.

£160,000 (23.5%) will be set aside to finance the full time uniformed street wardens.

£40,000 (5.9%) will be allocated for the BID caretaker service to ensure maintenance and cleaning is kept up to standard.

At the launch, the team confirmed the BID Ballot timetable.  The Ballot will be conducted by Independent Scrutineer, Electoral Reform Services.

• January 9^th 2009 – Notification of the ballot will be sent out to all those businesses eligible to vote.

• January 19^th 2009 – Ballot papers will be dispatched

• February 27^th 2009 – Ballot will close at 5 pm

• March 2nd 2009 – The result will be announced and if it is in favour, the BID will formally be established for a five year term on April 1^st.

 A not-for-profit company will be formed to run the activities of the BID with a voluntary Board made up of representatives from different sectors of the business community taken from firms situated within the BID area and from other strategic partners. The BID will be run by a dedicated manager and a small support team based in the BID area.

Commenting on the launch of the BID Prospectus, Gary Cardin said; “This is a very exciting initiative for one of the city’s most prestigious business areas. If the BID is successful we will, through the BID company and by working with partners such as Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Police, change dramatically the environment and atmosphere of the Colmore Business District.  During the five year term of the BID we are able to invest just under £3.5 million pounds into this important area of the city centre that will significantly improve the landscape for the firms and their staff who work here and also provide a more welcoming and pleasant place for our visitors.”

The ten Colmore Business District BID pledges:

·       Promote a clear identity and profile for the District and the businesses within it.

·       Deliver a high quality and user friendly ‘streetscape’ throughout the District.

·       Achieve enhanced environmental cleaning and maintenance standards.

·       Provide a safe and welcoming business environment.

·       Improve the District’s accessibility and wider city centre connections.

·       Promote local business networking and community  engagement.

·       Operate as an effective business led ‘voice’ with the resources to make things happen.

·       Engage with and support businesses

·       Deliver visible improvements and get things done – it will not be a talking shop.

·       Deliver projects and services that are additional to those provided by Birmingham City Council and others.