Responding to the publication of the Levelling Up White Paper, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “This is an important first step in putting local economic prosperity at the heart of Government policy. This step though, must now rapidly become leaps and bounds. Business communities are keen to see the ambitions of this agenda turn into delivery in the very near future, improving prosperity around the country. “We are pleased to see policies the Chamber Network has long campaigned for – such as UK-wide infrastructure reaching London standards, widespread 5G internet, local skills planning and devolution of funding decisions to the local level – take real significance and be enshrined in law. “What must now follow is the detail on the role local business leaders will have in oversight and delivery of the missions laid out. Where necessary, additional funding must be made available in order to drive change. Government must not forget the role that local businesses play in creating opportunity and prosperity in their communities, and should continue to work with British Chambers of Commerce and others to identify further ways to improve the business environment and enable more firms to grow and thrive.” On Devolution “Chamber business communities across England support greater devolution. The centralisation of money and decision making in Whitehall continues to be a brake on cities, towns and counties that are keen to realise their potential. However, businesses only want to see devolution with purpose – not just devolution for its own sake. “Devolution must be shaped by business knowledge of local and regional needs, and be accountable to local businesses and communities. It is vital that time and energy spent on structural changes results in the acceleration of genuine uplifts to prosperity in our regions and nations. On Funding Allocation “Government has heeded our calls to streamline the variety of funding pots and will be taking a more strategic approach to funding. Accredited Chambers would like to see local areas receive larger funds to use within a strategic framework and given greater autonomy to use it to address areas of greatest challenge or opportunity in their local communities over the long term. Commenting on the White Paper, Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chambers said: Norfolk Chambers welcomes the ambitions and strategic timescales that underpin the 12 missions in the Levelling Up White Paper. “We certainly appreciate the decade-long range of the proposals, as this gives our business community greater confidence that Levelling Up is a serious and strategic reset. “We are also pleased to note that the East of England has not been lumped in with the largely affluent London and south east regions, as that allows Norfolk and neighbouring counties opportunities based on the realities we face, which are not always understood on a Whitehall spreadsheet. “If Norfolk is given its fair share of these investments, then the county will truly be able to make a catalytic and enduring contribution to long-term national prosperity due to our incredible strengths in renewables, ports and logistics and the broader land-based economy. “To do this, Norfolk needs proper investment in the required infrastructure and skills to unlock our full potential. The prospect of a County Deal, with more powers being exercised locally rather than from Whitehall could be a game-changer in accelerating Norfolk’s productivity drive and by releasing the full economic and social potential of our communities. We very much look forward to working with the county’s public sector partners to support the design of a county deal, and to bring the business voice to the table to ensure that the needs and aspirations of companies are understood so together we can put the best case possible to government for these spending freedoms.”
