Issue - meetings

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People), which sought approval for the acceptance of a grant from the Urban Innovation Actions Fund and for the Council to act as accountable body and guarantor for the grant.

A partnership led by the Council and Coventry University had been successfully awarded £3.8m in funding to deliver the innovative MiFriendly Cities initiative in Coventry and across the West Midlands.

The MiFriendly Cities project aimed to facilitate and recognise the positive contribution of refugees and migrant’s to the cities civic, economic and social fabric.  Refugees and migrants were key factors in deciding what makes a ‘migrant friendly city’ and drive the change on job creation, social entrepreneurship and innovation, active citizenship and communication.

The Council would work in a regional partnership with Birmingham and Wolverhampton local authorities, the West Midlands Combined Authority, as well as Coventry University (including its social enterprise hub), Interserve, Migrant Voice, Migrant Work, Refugee and Migrant Centre for Birmingham and the Black Country.  Local the Council would work closely with the Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre, Coventry Law Centre and the wider Coventry Migration Network or voluntary and community sector partners.

It was noted that participation in this programme presented an opportunity to further enhance the City’s reputation as an International City of Peace and Reconciliation and to contribute towards the City’s priorities, in particular work to create active communities and empowering citizens, protecting the most vulnerable residents in the City and reducing the impact of poverty.  Additionally, the work would contribute to the Council meeting its statutory duties to promote equality of opportunity in employment and to promote community cohesion.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:-

1.  Note the success of the partnership work between the City Council and Coventry University and other West Midlands partners in developing the MiFriendly Cities initiative.

2.  Recommend that the Council approve acceptance of a grant in excess of £2.5m in relation to the Urban Innovation Actions Fund, authorise the City Council to act as accountable body and guarantor for the available funds and delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (People) to enter into the appropriate grant aid agreements with project partners.