30 local West Norfolk businesses attended the first in a series of consultation events held with Norfolk Chamber and New Anglia LEP to help shape the delivery plans for the new economic strategy for our region. Hayley Mace, Head of Communications at the New Anglia LEP, brought businesses up to speed on the strategy so far and presented the vision for the future of the region, which includes creating 88,000 new jobs and seeing 30,000 new businesses by 2036. Delegates then took part in lively group discussions to report which activities they are currently undertaking to support business development, what changes they wish to see in our region and how these will impact on their organisations. Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager at Norfolk Chamber said:“It is vitally important that we help capture what is already being delivered in all areas of Norfolk and that this information is then fed into the new Economic Strategy. This feedback will ensure that there is no duplication of activity and will allow other areas to benefit from best practice. Even more essentially the feedback will show where the gaps are and what is needed to help support economic growth and jobs in those areas.” The strategy consultations events have proven to be very popular with Norfolk businesses that are keen to share their experiences and contribute to shaping future economic developments. The Norwich event on Mon 29 January is fully booked, although there are still places available for the Great Yarmouth event, which takes place on 19 February 2018. Find out more and book your place here.
As you may know, Norwich has featured in the nationally important #TechNation report for the last three years. Government ministers, policy makers and international business leaders read this report when making investment decisions. It’s vital for the region’s economy that we maintain our high profile.
However, the report is changing. The NEW Tech Nation Survey from Tech City UK is looking at the strength and diversity of regional clusters. If we don’t generate enough responses in the next 7 days, we won’t be included.
What can you do to help ensure Norwich and Norfolk feature in this year’s #TechNation report?
It’s simple – just take the 5-minute survey– and then encourage everyone in your network to do the same. That includes people in your organisation like app developers, website builders and digital designers. You might not think of your business as a ‘tech company’ but if it depends on digital skills, this survey is for you and your team.
In fact, Tech City UK wants to hear from people across the industry. They want to know about the opportunities for high growth businesses, and the quality of education and training. They want to hear from anyone who
Works in a tech business
Founded or leads a tech business
Works in an organisation that supports the tech sector (local government, charity, not for profit organisation)
Provides services for tech businesses (consulting, legal, accounting, finance etc.)
The #TechNation reports have transformed the way people see the UK’s digital ecosystem. They have captured the strength, depth and breadth of tech activity across the UK. Crucially – they have revealed the talent in communities such as ours.
The people at Tech City UK tell us that Norfolk returns the most survey responses outside London. Let’s not disappoint them this year. Together, we can make this #TechNation 2018 the best report yet.
Commenting on the preliminary UK GDP figures for Q4 2017, published today by the ONS, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“The preliminary estimate of UK GDP growth indicates that the UK economy picked-up pace in the final quarter, with growth at its highest since the second half of 2016. That said, the yearly figure of 1.8% UK GDP growth is below historic trends – a particular disappointment given the rapidly improving global economy.
“Despite the improvement recorded at the end of 2017, UK economic growth is likely to become more sluggish over the coming quarters with household spending, a key determinant of UK growth, likely to remain stifled by falling real wages and weakening consumer confidence.
“Business investment is likely to remain weighed down by Brexit uncertainty and the cost of doing business in the UK. While the outlook for UK exporters is for solid growth this year, the contribution of trade to UK GDP growth is expected to remain limited by similarly solid growth in imports, with little evidence of import substitution despite their rising cost.
“With the UK economy in a more subdued period, more needs done to stimulate economic activity, including addressing the chronic skills shortages, our creaking physical and digital infrastructure and the burden of upfront business costs, that continue to weigh on the UK’s long-term growth prospects.”
The National Infrastructure Commission has issued a Call for Evidence on improving the infrastructure supporting the UK’s freight networks.
The Chancellor has asked the National Infrastructure Commission to conduct a study into the role that freight plays in the economy and identify how future infrastructure investments can support better freight connectivity and reduce the sector’s carbon footprint.
What are the key constraints to the effective and efficient movement of freight in the Norfolk and the rest of the UK and how do we overcome them?
How might the demand for freight develop and change over the next 20-30 years?
What effect does congestion have on the efficiency of freight movements and emissions?
How can freight reduce its carbon and air quality impacts?
How could new technologies increase the efficiency and productivity of Norfolk and the rest of the UK freight?
What international experiences can the UK learn from to improve freight and reduce its carbon footprint
An interim report in the autumn will assess the economic impact of a more efficient, low-carbon freight sector and solutions to achieve that. A final report in 2019 will recommend changes in infrastructure planning and investment to meet the UK’s freight needs over the next 30 years.
The deadline for submitting your views and comments is Monday 5 March 2018.
Commenting on the labour market figures for January 2018, published today by the ONS, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“The rise in employment and continued decline in unemployment is further evidence that the UK labour market remains a key source of strength for the UK economy.
“It is possible that UK labour market conditions may cool over the next year, as sluggish economic growth and Brexit uncertainty take their toll on firm’s recruitment intentions. However, we expect that while the UK unemployment rate will drift up to a peak of 4.7% this year, it will remain significantly below the long-run average.
“The continued rise in the number of vacancies to a new record high is further evidence that skills shortages are at critical levels. The BCC’s own Quarterly Economic Survey confirms that the growing skills gap is a major drag on business activity, hitting investment and productivity.
“While it is encouraging that regular earnings growth picked up slightly, subdued economic conditions are likely to weigh on wage growth over the next year. As a consequence, pay growth is likely to remain stubbornly below price growth over the near term, dampening consumer spending, a key driver of UK GDP growth.
“More must be done to close the UK’s skills gap, including easing upfront business costs to help firms recruit and train staff, and deliver a future immigration regime that supports the needs of the UK economy.”
As you will be aware, a winding-up order was made against Carillion Plc on Monday 15th January, and the court appointed the Official Receiver as the liquidator. The collapse of Carillion raises challenges across a number of areas, from system-wide impacts on the availability of finance; the status of contracts where Carillion was a partner in joint ventures; the future of its employees and those of its sub-contractors; and monies owed to companies in the supply chain.
Commenting on the collapse, Jonathan Cage, Managing Director of Create Consulting Engineers, President of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the Chamber’s Planning and Development Group said:
“With Carillion being the UK’s second largest construction company, the news will send shockwaves throughout the construction sector. It is essential that government acts to ensure that the collapse of this construction giant does not significantly impact the supply chain and that support is given to many of the SMEs that make up this complex structure.
“Infrastructure investment is essential for the future success of the country especially during Brexit and situations like this will materially set back the delivery of this investment if immediate financial support is not provided. It is not right that many companies will no doubt face major financial right offs due to miss management of this major firm, at a time when UK Plc needs its construction industry to be confident and efficient.”
PwC have been appointed as Special Advisors to the Official Receiver and they have published a webpage with further official information for employees, customers, suppliers and other parties.
We have four GDPR experts joining us from a variety of sectors at the morning conference that will highlight the key issues facing businesses when the General Data Protection Regulation act takes effect in May 2018.
Our speakers will endeavour to diffuse any confusion or nerves surrounding the act, which is set to alter how businesses operate and communicate with both their current and potential customers, in order to make sure you know the steps you’ll need to carry out to comply with the new regulations.
We have Alex Saunders joining us from Leathes Prior who will focus on the legal framework of the regulations, providing a brief bulletin of the key steps businesses to take, particularly focusing on how to acquire consent from your customers to hold their data.
Emily Marchant, a marketing professional from Selesti will address the challenges of marketing out to customers but also how it should be considered an opportunity to be creative with communicating with customers.
We will also be hearing from Darren Chapman from Cyberscale. Darren is a Cyber Security expert and will be cover the practical steps businesses need to take in order to ensure they are compliant with GDPR principles, stressing the importance of a robust Cyber Security strategy.
Speaking on behalf of Breakwater IT, John Gostling will explore how to ensure any data a business holds is stored securely in order to prevent a breach which could put customer data at risk.
For more information on any of our speakers, please click here to go to the event page on our website.
Join us to hear from these expert speakers and to network with fellow Norfolk businesses who will be coming together at the Space, Norwich on Tuesday 13th March to discuss all things GDPR. Click here to book your place. If you are interesting in having an exhibition stand at the conference please email [email protected] to discuss.
Norfolk Chamber members came along to the first networking event of the year, which took place at The Royal Assembly Rooms in Great Yarmouth on 18th January. The theme of the Business Breakfast was Workplace Wellbeing.
Centre 81 were our featured charity for the event, who came along to tell our guests more about their inspirational take on improving the lives of those living with a disability, the focus being on what they can do; not what they can’t do. Both Wrightway Health and Select Office Furniture also had a stand, who both advocate a focus on employee well-being.
After enjoying traditional networking activities and a full English breakfast, members heard from guest speaker Michelle Gant from Engaging People Company who shared some handy wellbeing tips that businesses could enact to improve the well-being of their staff.
If you are interested in attending our next business breakfast in Great Yarmouth click here to find out more about the next one taking place at The Great Yarmouth Race Course on Thursday 19 April.
10-week consultation offers the public an opportunity to shape Heathrow’s future and how the airport will serve local communities and the UK economy
Heathrow is seeking views on options to deliver and operate an expanded airport, alongside principles of new airspace design
Consultation is latest delivery milestone and comes ahead of a Parliamentary vote in the first half of 2018 on a National Policy Statement for a new north-west runway at Heathrow
The planning process for Heathrow expansion is now firmly underway, as the airport today launches what is set to be one of the largest public consultations in the country’s history.
Heathrow’s consultation is a major milestone in delivering an expanded airport – Europe’s largest privately funded infrastructure project, and the best way to keep the UK connected to global growth. For the next ten weeks, Heathrow will seek views on how to shape its plans so it can deliver the huge opportunities of expansion while keeping to the promises it has made to local communities and meeting strict environmental tests.
Over the past year, Heathrow has been working alongside local stakeholders and airline partners to evolve the plans it submitted to the Airports Commission. This engagement has identified options to deliver an expanded hub airport for £2.5 billion less than previous plans – savings to help make sure airport charges stay close to today’s levels. These options can be delivered without compromising on the expansion commitments Heathrow made to local communities – including a world class property compensation scheme, the pledge to introduce a 6.5 hour ban on scheduled night flights and the promise to only release new capacity if air quality limits can be met.
Heathrow has also published its SME pledges and have 10 Business Summits planned for 2018 – across the UK to encourage SMEs to become involved in our supply chain as well as launching the process to pioneer new construction methods through off-site manufacturing with our Logistics Hubs.
The consultation launched today will be an opportunity for the public to view Heathrow’s emerging proposals and options in detail and provide feedback on them. It will be composed of two parts – the first relates to the physical changes to the ground needed to build a new north-west runway and operate an expanded airport. Feedback is being sought on potential infrastructure options including:
Three shortlisted options for the new north-west runway with length varying from between 3,200 and 3,500 metres
Potential locations to expand terminal infrastructure: east of Terminal 2, west of Terminal 5 or a new satellite terminal by the new runway
Proposed alignment of the M25: repositioning it approximately 150 metres to the west, and lowering it by 7 metres in a tunnel and raising the runway height so it passes over the M25
Options for changes to local roads and possible changes to two junctions leading to the M25
The airport is also asking for the public to review its plans to manage the effects of expansion on local communities and the environment.
The second part of the consultation relates to potential principles, or ‘rules’, that could apply when designing the new airspace required for an expanded airport. Airspace across the country is being modernised as it has changed little since the 1960s. Changes to airspace will ultimately improve resilience and punctuality for passengers while reducing noise, emissions and the number of late-running flights for local communities. At this early stage, future flight path options are not being consulted on.
Responses can be submitted until the 28th of March at any of the 40 consultation events held across communities surrounding the airport and also online, via email or post. Views heard in Heathrow’s consultation will help to shape and refine the airport’s proposals, which will then be subject to a second public consultation next year. Parliament is expected to vote on a National Policy Statement in the first half of this year, which will set out the policy framework for Heathrow’s final planning submission.
Emma Gilthorpe, Heathrow’s Executive Director Expansion, invites local residents and stakeholders to take part in the consultation, saying:
“When the government announced its support for Heathrow expansion it made a clear commitment to keeping Britain open for business. We want an expanded Heathrow to be the world’s best airport, ensuring that our country and its future generations have the infrastructure they need to thrive.
“We need feedback to help deliver this opportunity responsibly and to create a long-term legacy both at a local and national level. Heathrow is consulting to ensure that we deliver benefits for our passengers, businesses across the country but also, importantly, for those neighbours closest to us.”
Tech Nation is a ground breaking series of reports on the UK’s digital tech ecosystem. Over the last three years – it has captured the strength, depth and breadth of activity across the UK and highlighted the emerging tech cluster in Norwich. It has revealed the scale of the digital tech sector, captured its growth, and – crucially – developed an understanding of the characteristics of the communities driving it.
Norfolk Chamber is a Tech Nation Community Partner and we want to help make Tech Nation 2018, the best report yet. But we need help from the Norfolk businesses community. Last year the survey had 2,700 responses, this year they hope to reach 11,000 responses, and to hear from all tech communities in the UK to allow Tech Nation to provide the most up to date and insightful data on the UK tech community in 2018.
Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said:
“ICT and digital creative is one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK and a major driver for the economy in Norfolk. Norwich is now a recognised Tech City and has strengths in digital advertising and marketing, telecommunications and networking. The previous Tech Nation report showed that there were over 5,300 digital jobs in Norwich helping drive a digital GVA of £148 million.
“We want to hear from you on topics such as diversity of the tech sector in your local area, on opportunities for high growth businesses and the quality of education and training.”
The closing date for responses is: 02 February 2017 and only takes 5 minutes to complete – have your say now!
Commenting on the Home Affairs Committee’s report on immigration policy, published today, Jane Gratton, Head of Business Environment and Skills at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“The BCC has long campaigned for an immigration policy that supports business and the economy, so we welcome the Home Affairs Committee raising these issues.
“With unemployment at an all-time low, job vacancies remaining unfilled and businesses facing pervasive skills shortages, it makes no sense to cut-off an important supply of skills and labour. Businesses are not deliberately targeting non-UK workers, nor are they failing to train the UK workforce, but over half of firms we surveyed told us they would be affected in some way should there be any future restrictions on the rights of EEA nationals to work in the UK.
“Foreign students are crucial to the success of universities and surrounding business communities, but the majority do not stay in the UK once their studies are finished so including them in the immigration statistics is misguided.
“The UK should be striving to attract the brightest talent from around the world, so it’s crucial that our immigration policy reflects this.”
Norfolk Chamber are taking part in the Active Norfolk Workplace Challenge 2018. (We currently sit in the top 20 companies/organisations taking part for ‘actvitity points’!)
Companies and organisations across Norfolk are invited to take park in the ‘Workplace Challenge’. The aim of the programme is to promote sport, physical activity and health improvements. You can sign up to take part for free.