The cash will be used to realize the legacy games, and it’s £10m more than originally thought.
Author: Oliver MorganPosted 1 hour ago
Millions of pounds of unspent funds from the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will pour into the region, helping to realize the ambition inherited from last year’s event, as well as boosting trade, tourism and growing the economy. in West Midlands.
The government will put in around £70 million to help the West Midlands Combined Authority enhance and amplify the positive legacy of the Games.
That cash is also around £10m more than originally thought.
The WMCA Board agreed to allocate:
- Around £39 million to help the economy, trade and tourism, as well as support WMCA ‘Blueprint for Growth’ initiatives
- £20.8m to ‘help address inequalities in the region’s most deprived communities’ through sport and other physical activities
- £4 million to help with culture and heritage, as well as programs to improve sustainability
- £4 million to help with people’s well-being
Andy Street, Mayor of West Midlands and WMCA Chairman, led discussions between council leaders and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to secure agreement that Birmingham’s unspent 2022 budget would be returned to the West Midlands to improve the legacy. of the games.
The Mayor said: “Last summer our region hosted the spectacular Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, a wonderful moment of collective celebration for millions of people both at home and abroad. Despite the challenges inherent in delivering a project of such scale, the Games actually came under budget and I am pleased that the Government has agreed to allow the West Midlands to retain this underspending.
“This news is not only a true vote of confidence in the ability of local leadership to deliver, but it also means we have tens of millions of pounds to spend on improving the lives of people across our region and ensuring the Games stop a lasting legacy for months and years to come.”
Cllr Ian Ward, Birmingham City Council Leader and WMCA Board Member, said: “As a proud host city, Birmingham thrived in the global spotlight during the Commonwealth Games. This is great news that the entire region will benefit as a result of this additional money which will allow us to enhance the work already being done to ensure there is a far-reaching and lasting legacy.
“Everyone should benefit from the success of the Games and we now have a clear regional plan to make that happen. That includes bidding to host more major events, including the European Athletics Championships to be held in Birmingham in 2026, encouraging residents to get involved in physical activity, offering support to grassroots sports and cultural organizations and businesses, and providing skills training in support of the region’s Growth Plan”.
The organizing partners have already done a significant amount of work to come up with plans, even before the money from the Legacy Fund was confirmed. This was part of the original Games Legacy planning matchup.
The Fund will also be used by the West Midlands Growth Company to provide intensive support to high-growth small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), among other projects, including helping to tender and organize major events.
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