Localise West Midlands

Local Economic Solutions For Sustainability

Mission statement

Localise West Midlands is a not-for-profit organisation which exists to promote the environmental, social and economic benefits of:

• Local trading, using local businesses, materials and supply chains
• Linking local needs to local resources Development of community and local capacity
• Decentralisation of appropriate democratic and economic power
• Provision of services tailored to meet local needs.

This localisation approach makes economic development and government systems more sensitive to local autonomy, culture, wellbeing and the responsible use of finite resources, and is growing in popularity with people and organisations all over the world.

Localisation helps build social capital, targets regeneration to meet local needs, maximises local job creation, and reduces transport and CO2 emissions.

To promote this approach across the region LWM will:

• Bring people together with a common interest in localisation
• Provide and publicise information, ideas and examples of good practice
• Facilitate or undertake demonstration projects
• Provide consultancy and other support to groups who are developing localist approaches
• Create supportive networks for localist action
• Challenge the barriers to localisation
• Link with similar projects outside the region and worldwide.

Background

LWM was set up in 2002 by a group of individuals who, through opposing the more damaging excesses of the current economic model, had also recognised the need to propose positive models for economic activity.

Our West Midlands focus is intended to make use the region’s geographical balance of urban and rural; and also to encourage democratic accountability and a people-centred approach amongst regional bodies.

However we also look beyond the region, seeking to catalyse ideas across the UK and to make links with and support organisations all over the world working on a similar agenda.

Our first project involved the facilitation of increased local purchasing of food by public bodies, with a conference for procurement officers sponsored by Advantage West Midlands and the Countryside Agency.

We engage with regional policymaking particularly via the West Midlands Regional Sustainability Forum.

See the following links for information on our funding and membership.