Birmingham wins award as Britain's most enterprising city of 2016

Birmingham was Saturday named the "most enterprising place in Britain" in the 2016 Enterprising Britain Awards.

Britain's second largest city after London, Birmingham, won the title which celebrates local initiatives to back business and growth.

Liverpool, Broxbourne and Kent also won enterprise awards, which were announced by the government's small business minister Margot James.

The City of Birmingham and Liverpool John Moores University will now go forward as Britain's entries to the European Enterprise Promotion Awards.

The winning project saw Birmingham City Council team up with six Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) to improve confidence, encourage investment, and attract and retain business talent.

The city supported 1,000 businesses, generating 113 million U.S. dollars in private sector investment, creating or safeguarding 4,300 jobs, as part of ambitious plans to build an Engine for Growth in Britain's Midlands region.

Minister James said: "We have 900,000 more small businesses than in 2010 and they have an important role to play in building an economy that works for all.

"These awards recognise the value of local support and show what can be achieved when people who know their community best make their own decisions."

Run by Investment in Young People (IiYP), on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Enterprising Britain awards celebrate local initiatives which boost business and growth. Endit