The latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: Midlands survey, compiled by S&P Global, indicated that permanent placements in the Midlands continued to fall markedly in July amid reports of lower demand for workers and concerns over the economic outlook. At the same time, temp billings fell for the first time in three months, and at the quickest rate in one-and-a-half years. The decline in hiring activity contributed to further steep increases in candidate availability for both permanent and temporary roles. Improved candidate numbers also reduced pressure on pay, with both starting salaries and temp wages rising only marginally. Vacancies data meanwhile showed that demand for permanent staff fell at a sharper pace, while temp staff demand dropped for the first time in three months. The KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: Midlands is compiled by S&P Global from responses to questionnaires sent to around 100 recruitment and employment consultancies in the Midlands. Sharp decrease in permanent placements Permanent placements fell in the Midlands for the second successive month in July. The rate of decrease was little-changed from that seen in June and sharp overall. Survey respondents indicated that weaker confidence around the outlook and lower job postings had weighed on permanent staff appointments. However, the reduction seen in the Midlands was the softest of the four monitored English regions. Recruiters in the Midlands recorded a renewed decrease in temporary billings at the start of the third quarter, marking the first fall in three months. The rate of reduction was the strongest since January 2024 and sharp. Anecdotal evidence suggested that lower demand for temp workers and higher staffing costs had weighed on billings. That said, the fall in the Midlands was softer than the national average, with only the South of England posting a weaker rate of decline. Demand for permanent staff in the Midlands fell for the fourteenth month running in July, and at the most pronounced rate since February. The Midlands saw a slightly softer fall in permanent vacancies than that seen on average across the UK as a whole, however. There was a decline in demand for temporary workers in the Midlands for the first time in three months during July, albeit one that was modest overall. Moreover, the pace of reduction in the Midlands was softer than those seen across the three other monitored English regions. Sustained upturn in permanent candidate numbers The number of candidates available for permanent roles in the Midlands increased markedly during July, with the latest uptick extending the current sequence of expansion to 28 months. The rate of growth eased only slightly from June’s one-and-a-half-year record, and was broadly in line with the UK-wide trend. Panellists indicated that redundancies had been a key factor pushing up candidate supply. Recruitment consultancies in the Midlands reported that a lack of temp job opportunities and redundancies contributed to a further rise in temp candidate availability in July. The rate of increase remained historically marked, despite easing to a three-month low. The Midlands posted the slowest rise in temporary staff availability of the four monitored English regions, however. Slowest rise in starting salaries for nearly four-and-a-half years Salaries for new permanent joiners in the Midlands continued to rise during July. The pace of salary inflation slowed sharply, however, and was the weakest seen since the current period of pay growth began in March 2021. The rise in permanent salaries in the Midlands was also weaker than the UK average. Recruiters often indicated that higher salaries were offered to attract suitably skilled staff. However, others noted that improved candidate availability had dampened overall growth. Recruitment consultancies in the Midlands signalled a further increase in temp pay at the start of the third quarter. The rate of inflation was only marginal, however, and the softest recorded in the current eight-month sequence of rising pay. Moreover, the Midlands saw a slightly slower increase in temp wages than that seen at the national level. Commenting on the latest survey results, Kate Holt, people consulting partner at KPMG in the Midlands said: “Hiring conditions in the Midlands remain tough, but employers are responding with agility. With permanent recruitment under pressure, firms are leaning into temporary hiring, and the Midlands is leading the way. We were the only region that saw a rise in temp billings and short-term vacancies across England. “At the same time, a growing pool of available talent is giving businesses the chance to rethink how and where they invest. We’re seeing a clear shift in focus toward retaining core teams and building flexibility into future workforce planning.” Kate Shoesmith, REC deputy chief executive, said: “There is a path to jobs market recovery – but it will take co-ordinated action from Government, the Bank of England and business to maximise on any potential upswing. “With starting salaries and temp pay rising in the Midlands but only modestly, it was right to cut interest rates last week. More action like this, to stabilise the business cost-base, is what will support growth and boost the jobs market this year. That is what the Chancellor should be keeping firmly in mind when preparing this year’s Autumn Budget. “Fluctuations in permanent and temporary job placements in the Midlands signal a labour market that remains resilient but uneven. Across the UK, construction, a key economic bellwether, has seen a rise in temp vacancies, an early sign of confidence returning. Demand for blue-collar temp roles and permanent engineering jobs in the UK also remains steady across the country, offering another glimmer of optimism. “At the same time, hiring in retail and hospitality are down in the UK. Employers in these sectors are pausing due to cost pressures and uncertainty around employment law, although when the turn comes, these industries typically rebound quickly. “Meanwhile, widespread skills shortages remain in the Midlands for permanent and temporary staff, which indicates the need for urgent support from government to upskill and retrain people; while businesses need to act now to secure the talent they will require when hiring picks up later this year, as our separate employer sentiment surveys suggest it will.”

Roy Geddes Bricks (RGB) have returned to support the East Midlands Bricks Awards for another year, sponsoring the Architects of the Year category. RGB are market-leading suppliers of facing bricks, rainscreen cladding, natural stone, cast stone and bespoke precast products. With a wealth of experience and an exhaustive range of superior quality building materials and masonry supplies, they can help to create wonderful facades for all property types, no matter the size and scale of the project. Established since 1990, RGB have built an adept and knowledgeable team who can help architects, developers, contractors and any other clients source the best suited construction materials for their project. They take pride in their customer led approach which sees RGB strive to exceed the client’s requirements through design input, helpful product advice, value engineering, efficient procurement, logistics management and site support. Alex Edmeades, Area Sales Manager, Roy Geddes Bricks, said: “Passionate about everything brick, Roy Geddes Bricks are proud to sponsor the prestigious East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, specifically the Architects of the year. “Architects play a vital role in shaping the identity and future of the East Midlands, blending innovation with heritage to create spaces that serve, inspire, and endure. Architecture is more than buildings—it’s about creating environments that enrich lives, strengthen communities, and reflect our shared aspirations. This award celebrates not just individual excellence, but the lasting impact great architecture has on our region and beyond. We are excited to celebrate the entrants and present the winner with their award. “With our head office in Nottingham we know the important role the East Midlands plays in the UK construction industry. We look forward to celebrating all shortlisted companies and projects, shining a spotlight on the fantastic results this region produces year after year.” The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025, which will take place on Thursday 2nd October at Nottingham’s famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, celebrates the successes of property and construction companies in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire. Recognising those behind the changing landscape of the East Midlands, the occasion highlights development projects, businesses, and people in commercial and public building across the region – from office, industrial and residential schemes, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools. It also toasts the work of architects, agencies, and those behind large schemes. Nominating a company or project for the awards is a great way to showcase your successes, recognise your team’s efforts, bolster morale, and reach our audience of over 60,000 business readers, while also offering a chance to connect with respected professionals. It’s completely free to enter and making the top three finalists in your category also wins you free tickets to the event.

To make a nomination for the 10th annual East Midlands Bricks Awards, please click here or on a category link below.

Categories include:

• Contractor of the Year
• Developer of the Year
• Architects of the Year
• Most Active Agent
• Deal of the Year
• Residential Development of the Year
• Sustainable Development of the Year
• Commercial Development of the Year
• Excellence in Design
• Responsible Business of the Year
• Overall Winner

All finalists will have the chance to take home the Overall Winner award, which this year comes with a grand prize of a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000, with the opportunity to split or gift the marketing to a charity of your choice.

Nominations will close on Friday 15th August.

New for this year, all entrants will also have the opportunity to be featured on our dedicated nominee showcase on the East Midlands Business Link website, providing space for marketing your achievements. Upon submitting a nomination, we will get in touch for any information, imagery, and video nominees would like to be featured on their showcase page.

The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025

What: The East Midlands Bricks Awards 2025 When: Thursday 2nd October (4.30pm – 7.30pm) Where: Derek Randall Suite, Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham Keynote speaker: Councillor Nadine Peatfield – Leader of Derby City Council, Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, and Deputy Mayor of the East Midlands Tickets: Available here Dress code: Standard business attire Thanks to our sponsors:                                                                        

To be held at:

An independent report has revealed a £2.1bn economic boost from the redevelopment of the former RAF Scampton.

The report produced by Focus Consultants was commissioned by Scampton Holdings Ltd and West Lindsey District Council. It outlines the potential of the former RAF Scampton site to become a nationally significant hub for employment, tourism, innovation, and community regeneration, supporting thousands of jobs and preserving the site’s historic legacy. Key projected benefits include up to 3,625 new jobs, with more than 800 roles in defence and aerospace, £40m in construction Gross Value Added (GVA), and a £65m boost to local tourism, driven by more than 300,000 annual visitors and plans for a new air show celebrating Scampton’s aviation heritage. The report also projects a £25m investment in research, development and skills, supporting STEM education, apprenticeships, and long-term career opportunities for local people, and a £417m uplift in community wellbeing, land value and heritage preservation. Sally Grindrod-Smith, director of planning, regeneration and communities at West Lindsey District Council, said: “This independent report confirms what we have long believed, the former RAF Scampton is a site of huge untapped potential. “Through careful planning and investment with our development partner Scampton Holdings LTD, we can deliver high-quality jobs, national economic value, and a revitalised community asset that honours the site’s iconic past. “Scampton is also a critical element of an evolving, inter-connected high-growth regional economy and as such represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity—not just for West Lindsey, but for the East Midlands and national economy.”