I knew 2013 would be significant for Birmingham.
Not that I actually committed these thoughts to paper last year. I bottled it, lest I was castigated a year later for an impertinent pre-empting of the future.
Not this year. This year, I shall fearlessly use mind power, venturing forward to provide a flawlessly accurate account of Birmingham: 2014.
And no – the spurious nature of this column has nothing to do with seasonal Baileys over-consumption.
Looking back, it was a significant year for Birmingham. But it wasn’t the reputational leap forward it could’ve been.
The Library of Birmingham represented the city’s undoubted highlight of 2013: a huge investment that still managed to capture the country’s imagination and largely defy criticism.
The increasingly effective work of the city’s marketers has persuaded national and international media that Birmingham is now a go-to destination for tourists. Our manufacturing industry is guiding the way towards economic health.
Nevertheless, this infuriating city followed each ladder ascent with a snakey downwards slide.
Did, for example, the success of the Library of Birmingham mitigate the general decline faced by the city’s district libraries?
Is the funding of the city centre’s development especially inspiring if areas outside the inner ring road were comparatively neglected?
Can we honestly say ‘the youngest city in Europe’ moved forward reputationally when its children’s services attracted the worst attention possible throughout the year?
Finally, does it matter if the city centre has been spruced up if travelling into it remains less fun than preparing a kilo of sprouts?
That’s where the predictions begin.
Let’s cover 2014 cross-city travel prophecies with the kind of speed Pershore Road traffic will never be capable of: our transport network will still suck.
Don’t worry though. My 2032 column will have a completely different viewpoint, thanks to the Mobility Action Plan.
Man, that 20 years of implementation is simply going to zip by (again, unlike Pershore Road traffic).
However, note the significant oversight on the Mobility Plan: it features no provision for personal hoverboard transportation. If, by 2032, I’m not hover-travelling between Stirchley and the Jewellery Quarter, then that’s a future I want no part of.
One thing we’ll see in 2014: a politicised public. Birmingham’s been bored by politics in recent years.
However, times have been tough. Austerity still prevails. And, judging by Sir Albert Bore’s Eeyorisms, many Brummie residents still face weighty challenges if working in, or dependent on, the public sector.
The agencies campaigning against this state of affairs will look to mobilise in the run-up to a 2015 General Election, and they will have a more receptive audience than in many a year.
I anticipate greater engagement in the democratic process.
There remains one group that will still struggle to engage with the democratic process, and that is the group that will decide whether 2014 is a great one for Birmingham. Our young city has to prove it truly is a city for the young.
Obviously, I’m totally stoked US magazines now implore visitors to check out Jamie’s Italian.
That said, I’d be happier if 2014 saw people talking about the city’s next generation of talent; outsiders becoming increasingly aware of the city’s growing reputation for educational excellence; people seeing the forward-thinking institutions now dominating Eastside, and realising this is a city committed to developing its youth into talented, well-rounded individuals.
Of course, we must also better protect our vulnerable youth. After a year of chastisement, Birmingham City Council is hinting it’s grasping how to get children’s services in order. New council chief executive Mark Rogers has a strong children’s services background.
There are countless other individuals across the relevant agencies I am confident (providing they receive stable, decisive leadership) will make a difference. Funds are being committed to improve the services.
Rightly so. Apologies for the crass musical reference, but we need to be more Whitney, less Britney: children are our future. And there’s no excuse to be saying ‘Oops, we did it again”.
If Birmingham doesn’t show demonstrable improvement in supporting society’s most in need, then I don’t care how many New Yorkers get snapped next to the Bullring bull.
This year saw Birmingham positioned as a place worth visiting -2014 must see it confirmed as a place worth living in.
And, blame it on the Baileys if you will, I actually think 2014 could see this transition happen.
