From 8 April HMRC is going to introduce an exporter details facility on uktradeinfo.com.
Exporters can opt out of the searchable facility, but details cannot be removed retrospectively. Once the data has been made available, it cannot be removed. Exporters who apply immediately will not have their details shown. Otherwise, export data from 1 January 2016 will be made available.
The opt-out rules for Importers Details are also changing from 8 April to bring them into line with the exporter details rules. Anyone who applies for opt-out from Importer Details immediately will have their details excluded from 1 February 2016.
Chambers of Commerce across the country, including Norfolk Chamber, are celebrating National Apprenticeship Week with a range of events, having already supported over 15,000 young people so far through Your Future Careers Fairs.
Norfolk Chamber has been involved with delivering Your Future events, which are designed to raise awareness of the career options available to young people, including apprenticeships, and more than 16,500 14-24 year olds have participated nationally so far.
Across the country, an extra 21 events are planned during National Apprenticeship Week, which are expected to attract around 8,000 students.
Chambers involved in the Your Future events include Black Country, Birmingham, Business West, Barnsley & Rotherham, Cornwall, Coventry & Warwickshire, Cumbria, Devon, Doncaster, East Midlands, East Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Hereford & Worcester, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Hull & Humber, Isle of Wight, Kent Invicta, Lincolnshire, Liverpool and Sefton, North & Western Lancashire, Norfolk, St Helens Chamber, Sheffield, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, South Cheshire, Sussex, Suffolk, West and North Yorkshire and Wirral.
The scheme works with local businesses to help bridge the gap between the worlds of education and work, to highlight the options available to students, as well as the skills needed to enter the workplace. So far, around 500 national businesses have participated in the scheme through Chambers of Commerce.
Caroline Williams, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber said:
“The Your Future events help raise the profile of apprenticeships, which are of benefit to businesses, individuals and the whole UK economy.
“The recently highlighted challenge of promoting apprenticeships in schools is an issue that the Noroflk Chamber and other Chambers within the UK network are tackling, through the Your Future events and by working closely with the Skills Funding Agency, to highlight the breadth of career options available through apprenticeships.
“Through Chambers, local firms can link up with schools, highlight career opportunities, and dispel the myth that the only route to success is a university degree.
“We will continue to help local businesses connect with education and training providers, to raise the visibility of apprenticeships and address the skills gap across the country.”
Giving her reaction to the Budget, Caroline Williams, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber said:
“Business wanted a steady, workmanlike Budget, and that’s what we got. The Chancellor listened to our calls to avoid higher business taxes and costs – and indeed moved to lower them in a number of areas. He has finally taken real action to lessen the crushing burden of business rates, and sharpened incentives for entrepreneurship and investment.
“While his commitments to key business infrastructure projects are positive, the Chancellor must ensure that they move from the drawing board to speedy construction on the ground. In a softening economy, the combination of sustained infrastructure investment and lower business taxes is important to maintaining the confidence of firms across the country.”
On business rates:
“Businesses will cheer measures to cut the burden of business rates, which hundreds of thousands of firms have to pay before they even turn over a single pound.
“More frequent revaluations will be welcomed, too, but only if a simpler system with fewer valuation errors can be delivered. We would also have liked to see plant and machinery investments excluded from business rates calculations, so we will be pressing for further action on this and other aspects of the system that discourage investment.
“All in all, the rates reforms are a significant step in the right direction, and we will work closely with the government to ensure that they result in real improvements for long-suffering businesses on the ground.”
On the Business Tax Roadmap, Corporation Tax, and Capital Gains Tax:
“The Business Tax Roadmap will help provide a greater degree of certainty as businesses look to plan for the future. Ultimately, the acid test for the roadmap will be whether it makes it easier for businesses to navigate the UK’s complex tax system.
“Cuts to corporation tax and capital gains tax show that the UK is very much open for business. The reduction in capital gains tax in particular will help to encourage entrepreneurial risk-taking in some of our most dynamic young firms.”
On additional investment in HMRC services:
“While businesses continue to express serious reservations about the quality of service provided by HMRC, the additional investment to make it quicker and easier for business people to deal with the Revenue is welcome. We will press for this investment to be geared towards supporting small and medium-sized businesses and making compliance easier.”
On fuel duty:
“We were expecting an increase in fuel duty, so the freeze is good news for businesses, particularly those at the smaller end of the spectrum. The freeze will help keep transport and distribution costs competitive.”
On infrastructure:
“Businesses will be pleased that the Chancellor is moving forward on key infrastructure projects. However, these projects remain at a very preliminary stage, and businesses won’t celebrate exploratory studies and plans that are never realized. Here in Norfolk we want to see our critical infrastructure projects, such as the improvements on the A47 and the Great Yarmouth third river crossing come to fruition are soon as possible.
Norwich Airport Passenger Action Group (NAPAG) are looking for feedback from passengers using Norwich International Airport, in particular those using the airport for business.
NAPAG are an independent group of passengers who regularly fly from Norwich International Airport and are committed to improving the experience of passengers using this Airport. NAPAG is recognised by and has full access to the airport’s management team.
As a result of previous passenger feedback the airport has installed a covered external waiting area; has reduced car parking fees with the ability to pre-book up to just two hours before arrival; and provided additional comfort seating in both the departure and arrivals areas.
The group also continue to lobby for new destinations and it is now possible to fly from Norwich to Malaga and Alicante year round and very shortly Norwich to Geneva.
George Nobbs, Leader of Norfolk County Council, has welcomed the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s announcement of a draftdevolution agreement for East Anglia in his budget speech yesterday. The deal is worth more than one billion pounds for East Anglia.
Cllr Nobbs said: “This announcement of a draft agreement for East Anglia potentially sees the start of a profound transfer of powers from Whitehall to this region. I have always believedthat key decisions on public services are best made by locally elected politicians, answerable to the public, rather than distant bureaucrats in Whitehall.
“Each and every council in the region will now debate the draft document as details are worked up. I am personally delighted that this is a deal specifically for East Anglia. This is not a region created by central dictate, it is deeply rooted in English history and has possessed a distinct identity for more than a thousand years.”
The deal has been produced after months of negotiation with authorities across Norfolk and Suffolk, and latterly, Cambridge and Peterborough. The New Anglia LEP is also a signatory.
The draft agreement will now be debated in each of the councils in the region.
Including other local investments confirmed in yesterday’s Budget, the deal would bring over £1 billion to the area for transport, skills and housing as well as new local powers to give the area control over existing pots of Government money.
The current offer includes:
Over £1 billion of new money to support economic growth over the next 30 years
The region will take control of millions of pounds of multi-year consolidated and devolved transport budget
New powers over infrastructure, developing skills for employment, and improving our health and social care system
£175 million of capital grant for the East to deliver an ambitious target of new homes in line with national targets
The deal would also include the creation of a combined authority for East Anglia, chaired bya directlyelected Mayor supported by a cabinet made up from leaders from the partner authorities
The draft agreement suggests a combined authority be set up across the four authority areas in the East but councils would still keep their sovereignty and deliver local services. It would see the transfer of significant resources and powers from central government to the region but at this stage specifically for infrastructure, housing, economic development and jobs and skills.
On 23 June 2016, the UK will settle the long running question of whether we should leave or remain within the European Union. No country has ever left the European Union before, so no one can predict the end results.
On Friday, 10 June 2016 from 2.30pm – 5pm, Norfolk Chamber will be holding a debate to give the Norfolk business community clear information on the viewpoint for both sides of the argument.
This will be one of the biggest choices facing the British electorate in a generation. We want to give you the opportunity to hear from both the Remain and Leave campaigns, and have the chance to ask for the clear evidence and information that businesspeople need in order to make an informed choice at the ballot box.
As part of the British Chambers of Commerce’s ongoing research programme into business sentiment towards the upcoming referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, the BCC is running amajorpollto measure business attitudes and impacts.The fieldwork for this survey is open from 5 April to 15 April.
The last EU poll from the British Chambers of Commerce, conducted in February 2016, highlighted over two-thirds (69%) of the senior businesspeople in the East of England, confirmed that the outcome of the Prime Minister’s renegotiation was unlikely to change how they will vote. This wasdespite large majorities saying they are familiar with theobjectives of therenegotiation package.
Views varied between categories of business, with those exporting only to the EU expressing the strongest support for “remain”, while those exporting only outside the EU expressing the strongest support for “leave”.
Commenting on the last BCC poll results, Caroline Williams, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber said: “The findings suggested that for businesspeople, this was a question of in or out- not renegotiation. Business remained divided on Europe, andbusinessleaders’ views reflected the size of their firm and their export interests, rather than the current political debate. They are making rational economic choices based on their own interests.”
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of being a part of Europe? Would Britain be better off staying inside the club or going it alone?
Those in the ‘remain camp’ – the leading group being Britain is Stronger in Europe, highlight that 3 million jobs (one in every ten UK jobs) are linked to our trade with the EU[1] and the UK gets £66 million of investment from EU countries every day[2]. UK workers get vital protections because we’re in the EU: including guaranteed holiday and maternity leave, and protection from discrimination. According to figures from HMRC, 61% of small business export to the EU and 200,000 UK businesses trade with the EU.
Whereas those in the ‘leave camp’ – the main group being Vote Leave, believe that Britain is being held back by the EU, which they say imposes too many rules on business and charges billions of pounds a year in membership fees for little in return. They also want Britain to take back full control of its borders and reduce the number of people coming here to work. They also highlight that leaving the EU would result in an immediate cost saving, as the country would no longer contribute to the EU budget. Last year, Britain paid in £13bn, but it also received £4.5bn worth of spending[3].
Premier Travel is an independent and privately owned local travel agency with 80 years’ experience in making holiday arrangements, and has 17 branches throughout East Anglia. Since 1936 when our bus service first began in Cambridgeshire, we have grown substantially and are now well -established within the region – proudly trading at a range of locations across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.
Our five Norfolk-based branches are located within Norwich (at Bedford Street and Reepham Road), Dereham, Swaffham & Wymondham and we have been trading in the area for the past eight years – during which time our friendly teams have all built longstanding relationships with their customers and the local community.
At Premier Travel we pride ourselves on our knowledge and expertise – each of our staff are experts in their field and many have travelled extensively around the world; so can offer a first-hand insight to the destinations we sell. In addition, we also provide a fantastic personal service and a book by appointment facility, so you can pop in and speak to one of our experienced staff at a time that’s convenient for you.
As one of the leading independent travel agents in East Anglia, we are able to work with an extensive range of travel companies to bring you the widest possible choice when it comes to your holiday arrangements. Whether it’s a coach ticket, a UK break, a dream wedding overseas or a once-in-a-lifetime round the world trip – we can create the perfect holiday to suit your requirements at a budget to match. We also offer a specialist honeymoon gift list service too, meaning your friends and family can contribute towards part of your special holiday should they choose.
Whilst we can offer every type of holiday to suit your needs, we specialise in creating tailor-made itineraries to a wide range of worldwide destinations; in particular the Far East, Australasia, Southern Africa, the USA and Canada. We also offer a selection of holiday extras to enhance your trip – ranging from travel insurance and airport car parking to foreign currency; available to purchase at excellent rates of exchange, with no commission charged.
Premier Travel is also a member of ABTA so you will benefit from their assistance and Code of Conduct when you book with us, and many of the travel arrangements we provide are protected (please ask us about the protection applicable to your booking) for your peace of mind.
Find out why so many people trust us with their holidays by visiting your local Premier Travel branch, calling our specialist team or emailing us for a quote or further information. You can also find us online by visiting our website:
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Quarterly Economic Survey – Britain’s largest and most authoritative private sector business survey, based on over 8,500 responses from firms in Q1 2016 – suggests that growth in the UK economy continued to soften in the first quarter, with most key survey indicators either static or decreasing.
Several key indicators for the services sector – the UK’s main driver of economic growth – fell slightly this quarter, with domestic sales and orders reaching their lowest level for over three years. For manufacturing, domestic sales fell again, and remain low in historical terms.
While some manufacturing sector indicators have shown slight improvements, these increases are from a very low base. Combined with the slight weakening in some areas of the dominant services sector, the Q1 figures suggest a static picture- with potential downside risks for UK economic growth ahead.
Key findings in the Q1 2016 survey:
Overall, the figures for both the services and manufacturing sectors indicate continued growth. However, this has remained static across many indicators, and slackened in others.
In the Norfolk manufacturing sector there continued to be a decline in both export sales and orders (-25) and (-33) respectively. Domestic sales moved out of negative territory from (-8) in Q4 2015 to (0) this quarter, however home orders fell further to (-9).
However, more Norfolk manufacturing firms grew their workforce in the last three months (+2), but those expecting to recruit in the next 3 months declined to (+10) from (+18) in Q4 2015.
The Norfolk service sector showed mixed results, with domestic sales falling (+21) and orders remaining static (+11); whilst export sales and orders increased (+9) and (+3) respectively.
In both the Norfolk manufacturing and service sectors reported less difficulties in recruiting staff.
Confidence in turnover and profitability for both services and manufacturing remains low by historical standards
The balance of Norfolk manufacturers intending to increase prices fell sharply, from (+23) to (0) (reversing the rise of the previous quarter). The service sector balance decreased from (+22) to (+18).
The balance of firms intending to invest in plant and machinery and training either fell or remained static in the services sector
Whilst the number of Norfolk manufacturers investing in plant and machinery rose, but those investing in training fell.
Norfolk companies reported increased pressures for higher pay settlements (+37) in manufacturing, (+20) in services). In manufacturing, the level is still higher than before the financial crisis.
“Our latest QES survey results suggest that the Norfolk economy is in a holding pattern. While the majority of the picture is static overall, there are clear indications that economic growth is continuing to soften. From sales and orders, to confidence and investment intentions, many of the Norfolk business indicators are at a low ebb. However there continue to be opportunities and we will continue to support our businesses through these challenging times.”
Dr Adam Marshall, Acting Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
“The softening environment should be a wake-up call for Westminster. Further action is likely to be needed to support business confidence, encourage trade and underpin investment in the months ahead.”
David Kern, BCC Chief Economist, added:
“These results are disappointing but not surprising. Although GDP growth for the previous quarter was upgraded slightly, our survey points to a slowdown in Q1 2016. This is the inevitable consequence of mounting global and domestic uncertainties, but it is nevertheless concerning that the vibrant and dominant services sector is likely to face mounting challenges in the next few years. The mediocre employment balances are a warning that we cannot afford to be complacent about the continued dynamism of our labour market.
“The improvement in the manufacturing export balances, probably helped by sharp falls in sterling, is welcome. But exports are still weak by historical standards. Our current account deficit has escalated to a record high in 2015 and is likely to remain unacceptably large in the next few years. Britain’s credit rating will be at risk, unless we make improving our trade balance and boosting our exports national priorities.
“In spite of the headwinds facing our economy, Britain has major areas of strength that can make a sustainable recovery possible, if correct policies are adopted. In this survey we report a few setbacks, but UK businesses are very resilient. Our labour market and the services sector remain dynamic, and Britain is still likely to grow faster than most other G7 economies in the next 2-3 years.”
On Thursday 7th April, over 70 Norfolk Chamber members joined us for a Business Breakfast at the Cliff Hotel in Gorleston. The venue provided us with a great setting in the newly refurbished Music Room. The room was full of buzz as the delegates networked over coffee and breakfast.
Caroline Williams, Chief Executive at the Norfolk Chamber kicked off the proceedings by welcoming delegates and thanking the event sponsors, New Anglia Growth Hub.
The first presentation of the morning came from Glen Moore, New Anglia Growth Hub, who explained what support the Growth Hub can provide for businesses. Glen focused his talk on the oil and gas industry as he explained the price of oil has substantially declined over the past year, and the role of the oil and gas sector.
Following Glen’s presentation, Events Coordinator Bryony introduced the networking activity: Table Networking Bingo! So, in true chamber style, delegates were able to network with a twist! The bingo cards were full of interesting activities, such as ‘I own a motorbike’ and ‘I can speak another language’, delegates were then asked to tick off any squares that were true to their table! When the results were in we had a tie between two tables with a score of 19 out of 25!
Once the room had settled down, our main speaker Fred Rogers of Subsea Protection Systems joined us to explain how his company has diversified to avoid the crash in oil prices. He began by giving a brief history of his company and how they have grown to international status. Fred then told delegates how SPS had avoided a previous crisis in 2008 by diversifying into Windfarm Protection, which helped them recognise that price of oil could not be sustained indefinitely and therefore, they needed to adapt further. The presentation finished off by an overview of the various industries they have now grown into, including, coastal and flood protection, offshore tidal turbines, and the farming industry. This subject was of particular interest to many of the members in the room as was shown by the attentive Q+A session.
The event was closed by an update from the Norfolk Chamber’s events team, and thanks were given to our members, the event sponsors: New Anglia Growth Hub, our featured Charity: Independence Matters and to the venue.
Delegates were then able to get in some final networking to make those all important contacts.
Exporting is GREAT aims to inspire and support 100,000 additional UK exporters to sell their goods and services overseas by 2020.Launched in November 2015, Exporting is GREAT partners with major UK businesses, to support companies at every stage of their exporting journey – from identifying opportunities to winning contracts overseas.
Atwww.exportingisgreat.gov.ukUK businesses can register their interest for real-time global export opportunities. The site contains thousands of exportopportunities – worth hundreds of millions of pounds and organised by sector and market – which are easily accessible. A thousand new opportunities are being uploaded each month.
At Norfolk Chamber we can assist Norfolk businesses on their export journey from introductions to overseas Chambers, training staff on all aspects of exporting, communicating with clients in their own language through our Translation Service to our Documentation Serviceto get goods through customs.
We are here to assist you -if you have any questions please contact the team on 01603 729715 or e-mail[email protected].
Norfolk Chamber and Norse Commercial Services hosted a business leaders dinner last night. The dinner was held at the historic Kimberley Hall and the attendees heard a fascinating talk from Professor Tom Williamson on the history of Kimberley Hall and its links to Capability Brown.
The discussions centred around the challenges faced by the larger Norfolk businesses. Topics included: Devolution; the EU Referendum; how to engage with young people and young entrepreneurs; inward investment; and the perception of Norfolk to the UK and overseas.
On Thursday 28th April, 80 members attended our Norwich Breakfast to find out how they can be better connected in their business using cloud computing.
Delegates networked over coffee and breakfast, with an incredible view of the groundsat Norwich City Football.
After much success at the Great Yarmouth Breakfast in January, we started the event withatwist on a popular networking activity – ‘Speed’ Safari Networking.
With everyone on their feet in an open space, delegates had 4 safari moves and 5 minutes at each table, allowing them the opportunity to network with up to 28 different people! We once again received fantastic feedback from this activity as it created a real buzz in the room and kept the conversations flowing during breakfast.
After guests were treated to a delicious Full English breakfast, they heard from guest speaker Craig Davies, Target Cloud Consulting. Craig gave an informative and engaging presentation on how cloud computing can revolutionise your business.
Here’s some of the great feedback we recieved on the day:
To take advantage of these great networking opportunities, book now for our next Norwich Business Breakfast.