The Norfolk Enterprise Festival has confirmed that there will be an investment prize of £10,000 for their Angel’s Den!
Proudly sponsored by Anglia Capital, Grant Thornton and Mills & Reeve the Angel’s Den provides you the opportunity to pitch your business idea, whether it be an idea you have always had, a start-up, expansion or desire to start exporting; you could be one of three finalists selected to receive specialist advice and coaching from Grant Thornton to pitch in the Angel’s Den to a panel of business Angel’s. First prize will be £10,000 of business support to help turn your idea into reality.
So if you’ve ever had a business idea and wondered if it would work, this is your chance to find out and give it a go!
Pitch to the ‘Angel’s’ at the Norfolk Enterprise Festival, on the 22nd of September at WestAcre.
You can apply with a 1-minute video and a 1-page document explaining your idea!
The deadline for submitting your application is Thursday 13 September 2018.
The Middle East Association, in partnership with the Kurdistan Regional Government, are leading a Multi-Sector Trade Mission to Iraqi Kurdistan from 24th February to 1st March 2013 visiting Erbil & Duhok.
To date, the MEA has organised and led nine very successful delegations to Iraqi Kurdistan and are seen as specialists in this market. The Mission will give delegates the opportunity to meet Iraqi and Kurdish businesspeople, to network and to explore new business opportunities with government officials, investors, traders & distributors.
This Mission will have a particular focus on healthcare, education, infrastructure, hydroelectric power generation, agriculture and water treatment and each of these areas of interest will have a comprehensive sector-specific mission programme organised by the KRG.
The FCO Travel Advice very clearly distinguishes the Kurdistan Region from other parts of Iraq and no travel restrictions are in place. The stable security situation has lent itself to business prosperity. British-Kurdish relations are strong and British business is welcomed and encouraged for the high quality of its skills, expertise and products.
To pre-register your interest and obtain further information as soon as it is available, please click here, complete your details and a full prospectus including costs, itinerary & draft programme will be forward to you by e-mail shortly.
Eight areas, listed by the Chancellor in a speech at the Royal Society last November, are to receive significant funding after he identified them as vital to the UK’s future growth and to helping it stay ahead in the global race.
The Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, has confirmed that £600 million is to be invested in “big data”, space, robotics and autonomous systems, synthetic biology, regenerative medicine, agri-science, advanced materials and energy.
He noted the unique strengths of the UK’s research base but stressed that the Government now needs to capitalise on this by backing the right technologies and helping to take them through to market.
Mr Willetts said: “Strong science and flexible markets is a good combination of policies. But it is not enough. It misses out crucial stuff in the middle – real decisions on backing key technologies on their journey from the lab to the marketplace. It is the missing third pillar to any successful high tech strategy.”
He also announced a £350 million investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in Centres for Doctoral Training and a £1 million Technology Strategy Board competition to help to accelerate the development of concepts where robots are able to interact with each other and humans.
Of the latest funding, £35 million is to go to centres of excellence in robotics and autonomous systems to be created in and around universities, innovation centres, science parks and enterprise sites to bring together the research base and industry.
Another £45 million will be provided for new facilities and equipment for advanced materials research in areas of UK strength such as advanced composites, high-performance alloys, low-energy electronics and telecommunications.
Lee Hopley, Chief economist at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, said that the new measures should help to address the barriers faced by innovative SMEs in accessing expertise and facilities.
“Public spending on innovation spending, just as much as science, offers high returns and this should be a priority in the Government’s forthcoming Spending Review,” she said.
We were delighted to be joined by Jack Chappell for a weeks’ experience this week, before he returned back to Thorpe St Andrews School Sixth Form for his final year of A-levels. Here’s what he thought of the week he spent with us.
“My work experience at the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce began on an early Monday morning in September when I was greeted by Philippa, the Head of Customer Experience at the Chamber. Philippa took the time to show me around the office and to introduce me to the team, as well as giving an insightful explanation of what the Chamber does and how it supports local businesses. This ranged from promotion to advice and support on a wide range of areas, and I was given the opportunity to witness and contribute to all of these myself.
“Over the course of the week, I not only discovered the extent of Norfolk business on a national and international tier, but also the potential for growth that lies in the county, all of this encouraged and augmented by the Chamber. As well as this, I noticed the Chamber demonstrate an accommodating approach to companies looking for membership by tailoring its offers to suit their needs rather than ‘hard-selling’. The sense of respect and support that I have seen expressed to other businesses are not only values that I will take away, but also values that have been reflected in the team’s treatment of me during my placement here at the Chamber.”
If you know anyone interested in work experience placements, please contact Philippa Bindley on 01603 729703 or email [email protected]
There is only 1 week left to have your say on the local economy. As part of the Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey, we would like to hear from you how you think the economy is doing. Are you finding the current economic conditions challenging; are you recruiting; or are your sales and orders growing?
With the second quarter of 2018 behind us, and amid growing international uncertainty, from escalating trade disputes to oil price rises, the UK economy continued to grow at a sluggish rate. Brexit is a key factor – but long-standing structural issues also continue to hold companies’ growth back.
The more feedback we get from local businesses, the louder Norfolk business voice is to the government, so it’s more important than ever that as many Norfolk businesses as possible complete the survey.
Take part in the Q3 Quarterly Economic Survey (QES). It 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 17 September 2018. The Q3 results will be published week commencing 08 October 2018
Key Norfolk findings from the previous Q2 2018 survey:
Norfolk Manufacturing sector:
The balance of firms reporting increased domestic sales rose from +16 to +35, while the balance reporting improved domestic orders also rose, from +23 to +35
The balance of firms reporting increased export sales rose from +31 to +44. The balance reporting improved export orders also rose, from +26 to +31
The percentage of firms looking to recruit remained steady at +30 while the number of those struggling to recruit rose significantly from +67 t0 +82
67% of firms in the sector expect the cost of their raw materials to rise in the next three months
Confidence that profitability will improve over the next twelve months dipped from +35 to +30
Norfolk Services sector:
The balance of firms reporting increased domestic sales rose from +19 to +34, while the balance reporting improved domestic orders rose considerably from +13 to +28
The balance of firms reporting increased export sales also rose, from +8 to +35. The balance reporting improved export orders also rose substantially, to +22 from +6
The percentage of firms looking to recruit rose from14% to 37%, but the number of those struggling to recruit also rose to 82% (from 63%)
Confidence that profitability will improve over the next twelve months increased from +15 to +36
Last week began with BCC senior policy advisor Mike Spicer giving evidence to the Transport Select Committee on the government’s aviation strategy, with specific focus on aviation capacity in the UK. During the evidence session he highlighted the cost businesses are facing due to ongoing uncertainty over airport expansion. He also spoke about the need for additional runway capacity at Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick. Representatives from Greater Manchester, Birmingham, Scotland and Liverpool Chambers also gave evidence to the select committee on the day.
A deal with the Council of Ministers to give customs officials at EU borders better tools to confiscate, store and destroy goods that infringe intellectual property rights (IPR) has been endorsed by a leading European Parliament committee.
The Internal Market Committee noted that imports that infringe IPR are a growing problem in the EU due in particular to the rising volume of goods bought by EU citizens online and shipped to them by post from countries outside the Union.
Piracy and counterfeiting alone cost European businesses €250 billion in lost sales each year.
The new regulation on Customs enforcement of IPR aims to improve the effectiveness of customs controls so as to prevent illegal or dangerous products from entering the EU while setting down clear rules on detention and destruction procedures.
The new rules, which are to apply directly in all Member States from 1 January 2014, will allow customs officials to work faster and more effectively.
They include a simplified procedure to allow the destruction of goods without a court order, provided that the copyright holder agrees and the importer does not object.
A special procedure for small consignments of up to three kilos will also speed up the destruction of counterfeit goods. The new rules set a 10-day deadline for the importer to object before the good is destroyed.
In general IPR holders asking the customs authorities to enforce their rights would bear the costs of destroying the goods. However, the right holder could seek compensation from the infringer or other persons, including intermediaries such as carriers.
Non-commercial goods carried in a traveller’s personal luggage are excluded from the new regulation’s scope.
Following a hugely successful launch of Breckland for Jobs in April, which attracted dozens of employers, who pledged their support for our young people, great strides have been made towards the two year goal of halving youth unemployment in Breckland.
So far only a small portion of that support has been utilised via employers attending group sessions; providing mock interviews; and work experience. For the next steps DWP want the opportunity to make use of even more of that support by bringing their customers and local employers together, in one place at one time.
So you are invited to attend Young Persons Market Place which will be held on Friday 12 October 2018 from 9.00am to 1.00pm at Charles Burrell Centre, Staniforth Road, Thetford, IP24 3LH.
The event is being organised by DWP in collaboration with Norfolk County Council – Education and Training Department and Breckland Council and will attract 16 to 24 year olds. This would be a perfect opportunity for you to find out more about how Breckland for Jobs works and also to showcase any apprenticeship positions you may have available or indeed any Christmas vacancies.
If you are interested in this event or would like any further information please RSVP to: Nikki David at [email protected] by Friday 21st September.
Get your Certificates of Origin right by avoiding some of the most common errors.
1. Poor goods description
Don’t use descriptions that are too vague or general, eg spare parts or brand names Do describe your goods in sufficient detail to clearly indicate the nature of the goods. Ask yourself – would a member of the public be able to identify what my goods are from the description?
2. Understanding Origin
Ensure you select the correct box on the back of the Certificate of Origin. Don’t confuse ‘wholly obtained’ and ‘manufactured’ UK goods Wholly obtained goods – is defined as UK raw materials or items produced from UK raw materials ie vegetables, minerals, animals born and raised in the UK or products derived from them etc. Manufactured goods – are goods which confer United Kingdom origin because they have gone through a manufacturing process. The simplest test to apply is to check to see if the tariff used for the products being exported is different to the one for the materials used in the manufacturing process. Imported goods – imported goods must be supported by proof of origin ie copy of the Certificate of Origin from the country of supply or the manufacturer’s invoice.
3. Failure to declare marks and numbers
This refers to the actual wording or labels stencilled to the outside of the packages being shipped. If you usually just show your customers address then you must state ‘fully addressed’ in the marks and numbers box. For containerised goods the container number can be shown. For goods shipped without marks ‘unmarked’ should be shown. The marks and numbers should also appear on your invoice or packing list under the heading ‘shipping marks’.
4. Failure to declare packaging details
This relates to the number of cartons, crates, boxes, pallets, bales, rolls etc. that compromise the consignment. For goods shipped in bulk or unpacked, ‘unpacked’ or ‘loose’ or ‘in bulk’ should be shown.
5. Incorrect designation of country of origin • For UK origin goods, show ‘European Community – United Kingdom’ • For shipments compromised of UK origin goods and goods originating in other EU countries, add the names of the other EU countries after United Kingdom. • For goods manufactured in the EU and non-EU countries, list the EU countries first before adding ‘and’ or ‘&’ followed by the non-EU countries. E.g. ‘European Community – United Kingdom, France, Germany & China, United States of America’
6. No country mentioned in box 1 United Kingdom (in full) should always appear at the end of the UK exporters address.
7. Weights and measuresDo declare all weights and measures using the metric system Don’t use the imperial system of weights and measures. Always double check your weights and make sure they can be found on your invoice or packing list.
On Thursday 13th September we held our Great Yarmouth Business Breakfast at the Royal Assembly Rooms on the seafront. 50 delegates joined us for the morning which included a full English breakfast and the networking ice-breaker “reframing letdowns” in which delegates talked about a situation that initially seemed to be negative but ended up being a positive.
Norfolk County Council sponsored the event, with David Allfrey, Infrastructure Delivery Manager, presenting on the Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing. This is a project that will see a dual carriageway lifting bridge link the A47 at Harfrey’s roundabout with South Denes. The crossing will benefit the local area by: supporting the area as a centre for offshore and renewable energy, supporting the regeneration of Great Yarmouth, and improving journey times and access to the peninsular by reducing congestion and heavy traffic. While the project is ongoing protecting the environment and minimising the impact on the local community is a priority. The final form of the bridge has not been decided yet but the positioning of the bridge and the highway over it is fixed, which means that we know for definite there will be a dual carriageway linking the two areas. The project has been ongoing since 2003 and began with an initial assessment on where the bridge should be built. The consultation period for the project is currently running and finishes October 5th, David encourages everyone in the business community to have their say here.
Once the consultation period is over the next stage is to submit the Development Consent Order and begin construction no later than 2020 once the order has been approved. David highlighted the importance of keeping as much of the work for the construction of the bridge local, and stressed that he would like to see it create a number of local jobs.
We also had 4 stands from: Select Appointments to celebrate the launch of their 16th office opening, adding Lowestoft to the network of the successful brand that has been in the recruitment industry for over 35 years; MIGSOLV promoting the fact they house organisations’ servers and IT within their data centre; East Coast College showcasing their Community College services, and the final stand was held by Governors for Schools who were our feature charity.
Net lending to business contracted by £18.7bn for the year 2012
Commenting on the latest lending data published today by the Bank of England, Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said:
“These figures clearly demonstrate that the difficult credit environment remains a significant drag on economic growth in Norfolk. Some of our youngest and fastest growing firms who stand ready to pull the economy out of stagnation are being left out in the cold, because they can’t get access to the finance they need to expand.”
“There are funding pots becoming available to Norfolk businesses through Government initiatives but it is at present far from clear how businesses can access them. As a Chamber we will be working with partners to ensure that this information is made available in a clear and simple way”
“A fully functioning UK Business Bank is desperately needed to plug this gap and help viable SMEs drive the recovery. We hope that both ministers and the Business Bank’s new advisory panel take heed of the success stories seen in countries such as Canada and Brazil, so that the new institution is developed into a major source of capital for those firms that really need it.”
Commenting on the ‘root and branch’ review of the railway network launched by government today, Jonathan Cage, President of Norfolk Chamber and Chair of their Transport & Infrastructure Group, said:
“After years of disruption and uncertainty, this review comes not before time. Given the role that the railways play in the daily lives of employees and businesses across Norfolk and many parts of the UK, the review must deliver tangible, visible improvements to the system for both businesses and commuters.
“The Norfolk business community is clear that the private sector has played, and must continue to play, a key role in running and improving the UK’s rail network. Yet the partnership between the private and public sector on the railways needs to change to alleviate the inexcusable delays and disruption faced by commuters and businesses under the current franchise system.
“Our region has been lucky enough to secure significant funding for rolling stock as part of the new franchise. However it is imperative that this level of funding is more than matched by central government with respect to the upgrade of the network itself. It is also essential that Network Rail is funded and managed correctly, if we are ever going to experience a quality rail service we can be proud of in this region.
“Travel delays increase business costs, jeopardise business opportunities and make Norfolk firms appear less accessible and therefore less competitive. This review must tackle all the aspects of rail travel currently worrying businesses, including service reliability, pricing, ticket flexibility, innovation, investment, freight and value for money.
“The review should also look at what more needs to be done to increase connectivity on trains – so that commuters and businesses alike can make productive use of journey time.
“We need to develop a rail system where all parts of the network are working together and communicating better to improve confidence for users and investors. For Norfolk to be a thriving and modern economy, we must start with getting the basics right.”