With only two weeks to go until our Norwich Business Breakfast, now is your last chance to book onto our ever-popular breakfast in the centre of Norwich. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from ofo’s Regional Operations Manager Matthew Thomas-Keeping who will be talking about the company’s evolution from 2014 to now. Matthew will discuss the context of bike sharing as a force to change urban mobility and where bike sharing will be heading in the coming months and years, in the context of Norwich. In usual Chamber style, we will also be providing:
A luxury Norwich venue
Lots of coffee and a full English breakfast
Our trademark networking activities
The rest is up to you! You will meet lots of other Chamber members at our most popular, and often sold out, Norwich Breakfast and hopefully leave (potentially on an ofo bike!) having made new business connections. Click here to book your place onto our Norwich breakfast.
Eleven government departments have each appointed a Head of International Trade Profession to champion trade negotiation skills and help ensure that the UK develops appropriate expertise.
The International Trade Profession aims to raise the skills and ambitions of those working, or aspiring to work, in international trade by opening up new roles and career opportunities in the UK Government, supporting talented people to develop careers in trade and providing a training programme for them.
Announcing the initiative, the Chief Trade Negotiation Advisor, Crawford Falconer, said: “We are ensuring government attracts the best and brightest talent by not only offering trade professionals a clear route into working on trade policy, exports and investment at the centre of government but also nurturing their ability for the future through access to world-class training.”
The need for the UK to develop its own trade negotiation capacity has been highlighted by Brexit, with the possibility of the country having to take on responsibility for something that for many years has been the responsibility of the EU.
Commenting on the announcement, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said that, by establishing the International Trade Profession, the Government has embedded the development of trade negotiation capability at the heart of its agenda and taken another important step in getting UK trade policy Brexit-ready.
That view was echoed by CBI Director-General Carolyn Fairbairn who commented: “Business will warmly welcome the appointment of Heads of International Trade Profession across Whitehall, demonstrating that the Government is building expertise and capability in a crucial area for post-Brexit Britain.”
July 2012 retail sales volume up 0.3% on the month, up 2.8% on the year
Annual high street inflation slowed to 0.2% in June, the lowest since 2009
Commenting on the retails sales figures for July 2012, Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said:
“UK Retail sales made modest but satisfactory progress in July, with the monthly increase higher than expected. The 2.8% annual increase in retail sales volumes supports our belief that some of the pessimism surrounding the recent performance of the UK economy is unwarranted. This figure provides hope that in the third quarter of the year we will see some recovery in economic activity. There is no doubt that retails sales across Norfolk can be patchy but the success of the Norwich BID and the stream of national names heading from Norfolk demonstrates our continued retail strength. We have a lot of talented retailers in Norfolk and we need to ensure that they are supported especially those in the independent sector who are finding the current economic situation particularly challenging.
“The further decline in high street inflation is also welcome news. This will support disposable incomes and consumer spending, at a time when austerity and the eurozone crisis continue to put the economy under pressure.
“Despite the positive job market figures published this week, it is clear economic growth in the UK is still far too weak. We will continue to encourage the government do much more to help businesses to grow and create jobs at a time when the public sector continues to shrink.
“We need to see more measures to boost Norfolk infrastructure and strengthen the construction sector, alongside forceful deregulation and moves towards the creation of a state-backed business bank. It is also important to ensure that the Funding for Lending scheme is made to work effectively so that credit-worthy businesses are able to grow. We are working with our Business and Finance Group (BFC) made up of the key financial businesses banks and accountants to monitor what is happening in Norfolk
Commenting on the labour market figures for May 2018, published this week by the ONS, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:
“With unemployment declining and employment levels continuing to rise, the latest data confirms that the labour market remains a bright spot for the UK economy. However, while the latest figures are likely to reinforce the MPC’s hawkish rhetoric, labour market data tends to lag behind the wider economy, so any broader weakening in economic conditions wouldn’t be expected to appear in the figures for some time.
“While regular earnings growth continues to marginally outpace inflation, the decline in UK productivity in the first quarter is a clear warning sign that positive real wage growth should not be taken for granted. While businesses are reporting some upward pressure on pay, sluggish productivity and high upfront business costs are restricting the extent to which wages are able to rise.
“More needs to be done to support firms looking to recruit and grow their business, including tackling the high input costs faced by businesses and addressing the chronic labour shortages that continue to undermine the UK growth prospects.”
Commenting on the labour productivity statistics, Suren added:
“The fall in the first quarter is disappointing and shows that the recent pick-up in productivity was relatively short lived. The decline in the quarter was driven by weaker than expected GDP growth outturn in Q1 and the recent pick-up in hours worked.
“The persistent weakness in UK productivity reflects the longstanding structural problems in our economy from a chronic skills shortage, to our creaking infrastructure and the escalating cost of doing business in the UK. Delivering solutions to these key business concerns would help boost investment and drive the productivity gains we need to boost the UK’s long-term growth potential.”
Here at Norfolk Chamber of Commerce we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting it. As you know there are changes in data protection law, so we wanted you to know we’ve updated our privacy policy.
Your trust and protection of your data is important to us, and we want to make sure you understand what these changes mean for you. This Privacy Policy is designed to inform you of our policy and practices and to tell you of the way your information is collected and used.
Norfolk Chamber ensures that any data received will be processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation.
As result of GDPR we have recently sent a number of emails to our contacts to opt-in to continue receiving our email marketing. If haven’t yet responded and want to keep receiving email communications from us, you can sign up here.
If you have any questions about how we manage your data please call 01603 625977 or email [email protected]
There’s still time to book your early bird stand at B2B 2018. You can save £50 on the cost of your stand if you book online by Friday 25 May.
Celebrating its 20th year in 2018, the B2B Exhibtion brings together the finest business minds in Norfolk and beyond, giving you access to hundreds of businesses contacts that are looking for bright ideas and are keen to explore new opportunities.
B2B 2018 is the region’s premier business to business exhibition, offering your business a unique opportunity to maximise visibility of their brand, raise your profile and show Norfolk what you can offer.
Booking early not only saves you money, but offers you priority booking to reserve your preferred stand location.
Commenting on the Holt Review into apprenticeships, which has been published today (Wednesday), Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber, said:
“Norfolk employers will expect swift implementation of the practical recommendations contained in the Holt Review. Apprenticeships offer a valuable route for young people to earn a wage while developing skills that are valued by employers. Businesses want to support the transition from education to work, but they also want a skills system that is more responsive to their needs.
“Norfolk Chamber of Commerce will build on our work with local schools and the National Apprenticeship Service to ensure young people are able to make informed decisions about their future. Apprenticeships can often offer a more reliable route into a good job than continued academic study, but too many young people don’t get the information and guidance they need to make the right choice for their own future.
“The government’s decision to widen the eligibility criteria for the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers will encourage more employers to take on an apprentice in the 16-24 age bracket. Ministers should go one step further though, and encourage businesses to invest in apprenticeship training for young people who are eligible for Youth Contract wage incentives, by allowing apprenticeship grants and Youth Contract incentives to be combined. Providing the most vulnerable young people with valued skills and a respected qualification that will serve them in the long-term would really be something to celebrate.”
The British Chambers of Commerce, together with the accredited Chamber Network, including Norfolk Chamber, run Britain’s largest and most influential private business survey – the Quarterly Economic Survey (QES). The next fieldwork period for the QES will start on Monday 21 May 2018 and will be open for 3 weeks.
But why should your organisation take part? Nova Fairbank, Norfolk Chamber’s Public Affairs Manager outlines why she wants more input from Norfolk businesses:
“The QES is Britain’s largest, and longest-running, private business survey and it’s a leading economic indicator – often picking up big changes in the economy long before other surveys or official statistics. With the uncertainty of Brexit and the UK economy effectively treading water at present, it is more important than ever that as many businesses as possible take part.
“By completing the QES you are helping to identify how strong our local economy is and how well it is performing against the national averages. Norfolk has many dynamic and innovative businesses, we need to have a strong voice and ensure our region gets the credit and investment that it deserves.”
Below are just a few more reasons why your organisation should take part in this important economic survey:
It’s provided consistent data since 1989, and regularly receives over 7,500 business responses. Compare that to the average business survey, which garners only a few hundred responses.
Norfolk responses represent over 34% of the responses from the East of England. (East of England includes: Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire).
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee uses the QES as one of its key benchmarks when setting interest rates.
HM Treasury and the independent Office for Budget Responsibility use the QES to put together their forecasts for the UK’s economic performance.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) use the QES when comparing the UK to competitors worldwide.
The more Norfolk businesses that take part – the louder the voice of the Norfolk business community will be.
So what can your business do to contribute to the QES? During the fieldwork period, the survey can be completed electronically. There are several ways to access this online survey either:
Use the link within the Chamber Policy news article or;
Use the link that the Chamber can send direct to you
To be added to the Chamber’s QES email list, please contact Nova Fairbank or Jack Edwards. Emails: [email protected] and [email protected].
The online survey takes less than 3 minutes and your input is vital to help ensure that Norfolk business has a strong collective ‘voice’.
With sanctions very much in the news at the moment in the context of the Iran nuclear deal, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) has produced a timely factsheet offering information and advice in relation to arms embargoes, trade sanctions and financial sanctions.
Having to comply with the various types of sanctions imposed by the UN, the EU, the UK and others can be difficult for both importers and exporters, OFSI agrees.
To help affected businesses, the 11-page question-and-answer style guide (which can be found at assets.publishing.service.gov.uk) aims to answer questions relevant to those involved in importing and exporting goods and services, especially in areas where financial sanctions are in force.
The publication addresses general questions about financial sanctions, such as “Should I consider financial sanctions when importing to or exporting from the UK?”.
Not surprisingly, the answer is “yes”, with the advice being to consider not only who and where the goods or services are coming from or going to, but also who is shipping them (is a sanctioned vessel being used?), and whether a designated person is subject to financial sanctions even though they are located outside the country in which your business is operating.
In relation to licensing, the guide considers whether an OFSI licence is required if a business already has an export or trade control licence (the short answer is “you may do”), and what OFSI licensing grounds might apply to importers and exporters.
Questions about financial sanctions along the export chain are also considered, including “Do financial sanctions apply to import and export agents?”. With agents such as couriers, express operators and freight forwarders being responsible for their own due diligence, the answer is again “yes”.
Finally, financial sanctions breaches and penalties are covered and there is also a section on sources of further information.
Find out more about sanctions, embargoes and restrictions here.
Norfolk Chamber HR Forums are designed to inform your business of all the changes and developments in employment law.
This special two-part session on 20 June, delivered by expert speakers from Howes Percival, Nicola Butterworth and James Mee will Focus on flexible working requests and settlement agreements. Part 1 Employers are increasingly facing requests for flexible working from their employees. A hasty decision about flexible working can, in certain instances, lead to claims for discrimination, detriment, and/or unfair dismissal. In this practical and comprehensive HR Forum, Associate Solicitor, Nicola Butterworth will explore a range of issues that can arise when dealing with flexible working requests and provide tips on how best to approach such requests and protect the business from facing potential claims. Part 2 Estates and Trusts Practitioner, James Mee will focus on the legal and practical issues surrounding settlement agreements, including strategies for negotiation and key changes to the tax treatment of termination payments. Keeping up with recent HR and legal updates is crucial for anyone in business.Suitable for: • HR specialists • Employment relations specialists • Employee representatives • MDs/CEOs • Owners of small and medium sized businesses
“I really enjoy the forums and learn a lot from them.” – Linda Holt, Blue Sky Professional Development “Really useful; they take a difficult subject and explain them clearly” – Rachel Harrison, The Forum Trust
In the first quarter of 2018, what growth we saw in the Norfolk economy was due principally to strong global trading conditions, rather than domestic demand, which remained muted. Uncertainty, recruitment difficulties and price pressures remained persistent concerns for businesses of every shape and size, even if short-term confidence levels remain resilient. Now we are in the second quarter of 2018 – how are Norfolk businesses reacting to the current economic climate? Today (Monday 21 May 2018) is the first day of the fieldwork period for the Q2 Quarterly Economic Survey (QES). With the economy appearing to ‘tread water’ in the last quarter and with Brexit still delivering uncertainty, it more important than ever that as many Norfolk businesses as possible complete the survey. The QES is the largest independent business survey in the UK and is used by both the Bank of England and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to plan the future of the UK economy. It is also closely watched by the International Monetary Fund. You can have your say by completing the QES online NOW It takes less than 3 minutes. The completion deadline for this survey is midnight on Monday 11 June 2018. The Q2 results will be published week commencing 9 July 2018 Key Norfolk findings in the Q1 2018 survey: Manufacturing sector:
The balance of firms reporting increased domestic sales fell slightly from +17 to +16, the lowest since Q1 2017, while domestic orders remained still at +23.
The balance of firms reporting increased export sales stayed the same +31 – the regional and national figures are now in line with the Norfolk results.
The percentage of manufacturers that attempted to recruit in the last three months also remained the same at 83%.
The percentage balance of manufacturers expecting their prices to increase fell from +54% to +49%. The price of raw materials continues to be the primary source of price pressures, with 81% reporting it as a cause (in line with the 80% last quarter).
Services sector:
Export sales and orders remained unchanged this quarter at +8 and +6 respectively. However, domestic sales and orders both increased at +19 for sales and +13 for orders.
The percentage of businesses attempting to recruit fell slightly from +65 to +63. Of those, the percentage of services firms reporting greater recruitment difficulties fell from 83% to 63%. Professional and managerial roles are the leading areas of hiring difficulties (53%)
The balance of services firms expecting prices to increase, fell from +49% to +44%. But the balance of firms citing pay settlements as a source of price pressures rose from 45% to 47%
The balance of firms reporting cash flow improvements remains quite low at +11 (up slightly from +10 in the previous quarter).
Chamber business leaders from across the United Kingdom have today (Tuesday) written to the Prime Minister calling for a renewed focus on tackling the barriers to growth and investment in the United Kingdom – and a radical plan for action.
Gathered today in Manchester, Chamber business leaders are calling on the Prime Minister to balance the importance of securing the best possible deal with the EU with the urgent need to set out a compelling vision for UK growth and a bold set of domestic policies to fix the fundamentals at home.
Business communities throughout the UK are concerned about perceived inaction in Westminster and Whitehall on key domestic economic matters – where attention and swift action are needed for the UK to succeed after it leaves the EU.
Writing on behalf of the 53 accredited Chambers of Commerce from every region and nation of the UK, Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), says:
“Our future success depends not just on Brexit negotiations, but also on the big economic decisions that must be made here in the UK. It is time, Prime Minister, for you to set out a compelling, pro-enterprise and pro-growth vision for the future, and a bold set of domestic policies to make it happen.
“It is time for you to tell business communities across the UK how your government will act – fast – to stabilise the faltering training and apprenticeship system and give clarity on migration rules, as businesses face unprecedented labour and skills shortages all across the country.
“It is time for visible action to rebuild our rutted and potholed roads, to use the resources of the state to build more homes, and to speed up the delivery of airport, rail and energy upgrades.
“It is time to eliminate the significant gaps in mobile and digital connectivity that continue to strangle business productivity and UK competitiveness – the central theme of our ‘No More Not Spots’ campaign.
“It is time to set a new mandate for HMRC and economic regulators to support, rather than pursue and punish, the small and medium-sized firms that can drive future growth, and focus their enforcement activities on the small number of companies pursuing questionable practices that are ultimately paid for by the rest.
“After decades of delay and incremental change, it is time to tackle the huge costs and complexities of the UK tax system, which actively discourage investment, risk-taking, and the stronger export performance we all want to see.
“And it is time for your government to deliver a far more explicit blueprint to support economic growth in all regions and nations – including greater local decision-making, away from the centralising instincts of Westminster and the devolved administrations.
“Prime Minister, the many thousands of firms we collectively represent are clear: business as usual is not good enough at a time of significant uncertainty. A concerted drive to ‘fix the fundamentals’ would unlock business confidence and investment – and set the UK on a path to long-term growth, alongside a comprehensive settlement between the UK and EU.”