BMG Research is currently undertaking an important telephone survey on behalf of Birmingham City Council and the Birmingham Economic Development Partnership (BEDP). BEDP provides strategic leadership on economic development matters for Birmingham and includes representatives from the city council's key strategic partners including Jobcentre Plus, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Business Link. Other members include the universities, Government Office for the West Midlands, Advantage West Midlands, Marketing Birmingham, and Communities England.

One thousand two hundred businesses in the private and voluntary sectors will be interviewed over a period of one month. Themes covered by the survey include investment, recruitment and training, graduate employment, R&D, innovation and competition.

Feed-back will provide a snapshot of business in the city which will assist the city’s economic development and help policy-makers and service providers meet business needs.

Speaking about the survey, Lesley Bradnam, Senior Research Officer within Economic Strategy for Birmingham City Council stated ‘We have worked closely with BMG to develop a questionnaire that works for all types of businesses, large and small, and across the wide variety of sectors represented in Birmingham. The study will provide us with relevant and useful information to assist our planning for the city, while minimising the burden on the business managers and directors that we are approaching for this information. We would like to thank all participants for their time. The key messages from the study will be integrated into economic reports available on our website www.birminghameconomy.org.uk.’

For more information about the survey, please contact BMG Account Manager Ceri Matthias on Tel: 0121 333 6006 or email ceri.matthias@bmgresearch.co.uk