1. The City of Wolverhampton – making things happen
Peter Bilson,
Deputy Leader
Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity
Presentation to Midlands Infrastructure and Regeneration Conference
April 2015
Wolverhampton. Making it happen

2. i54 – BC Enterprise Zone
Wolverhampton. Making it happen

3. Improved retail and visitor offer
Transforming the City Centre
Improved retail and visitor offer
New Commercial Quarter
i10

4. Public realm programme
City Centre –
Strategic projects
Molineux Quarter
Canalside
University Quarter
Civic Halls
Interchange
Marston’s HQ
Retail Core
Carillion HQ
Public realm programme
Westside
Southside
Youth Zone
Royal Hospital site
Tower and Fort Works
Sunbeam
Wolverhampton. Making it happen

5. Well connected city

6. A Smart City A Smart City
Not just about effective use of ICT
Being competitive
Capitalising on technology – creating an inclusive society
Supporting our wider regeneration objectives
A Smart City
Image courtesy of Express and Star
As Simon has already said we need to be creative in how we use our resources in an agile way to maximise our contribution to these priorities.
I have touched on some of these already – but it is worth focussing on a few issues. In a future world where the likelihood is the Council will rely more heavily on business tax income it is vital that we build the tax base of the City by attracting more business to locate here and grow.
We need to focus in very real terms on the employability challenges people face in our communities and provide rounded solutions if they are not simply going to add to the expensive demands we seek to reduce. Getting a job and keeping a job we know has a massive impact on a whole range of issues from health outcomes to educational performance to community cohesiveness.
Finally we need to shape a City offer which is not based solely on just good sites or infrastructure – but Wolverhampton is a location of choice for people because of our housing offer, our schools offer or our City Centre offer.
Looking at each of these I want to briefly provide an illustration of this approach.