THE region's development agency is backing a long list of recommendations aimed at improving the performance of businesses owned by ethnic minorities in the two counties.

The recommendations have come from the West Midlands Minority Business Forum, an independent body set up to represent the interests of enterprises owned by ethnic minorities.

Some of the proposals put forward by the forum have already been implemented with the help of Advantage West Midlands.

Among the recommendations, published in the forum's first annual report, is one calling for the setting up of a regional centre of excellence for ethnic minority business development.