Chamber News

Norfolk Chamber advises all its members involved in working with clients on business advice to look at the option to register on the new government Market Place within the Enterprise Nation website. The Growth Voucher scheme has now launched and will give £2k match funding to businesses employing under 49 full time employees to be used against business advice against the themes: Raising Finance; Expanding your workforce; IT & Web; Leadership and Management; Marketing and Customer Service. Click here the criteria for Growth Voucher Advisors. (Jason see below)

If you are a business employing less than 49 employee I strongly suggest you register to see if you can access Growth Voucher funding. It does not seem very onerous but you do need to be able to match fund any voucher value agree once you have met with one of their advisors to discuss your needs.

Full details on how to register to be a Growth Voucher Advisor can be found here

Criteria for Growth Voucher Advisors

1. Certain level of membership of a Professional Body

Professional bodies must:

• Have a code of conduct, which includes a complaints handling process and the ability to remove a member if found to be breaking code
• Be recognised as the lead authority or one of the lead authorities on one or more of the five advice topics of the Growth Vouchers programme
• Have robust membership standards (i.e. members must prove relevant qualifications, experience, continuing professional development, references, etc.)

For example:

Managing cashflow, late payments and negotiating finance

• ACCA – Professional ACCA qualification
• ICAEW – ACA, Full member
• CIMA – CIMA member in practice

Developing skills and taking on staff

• CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) – Chartered member

Improving Leadership and Management

• Institute of Consulting – Member

Marketing, attracting and keeping customers

• Chartered Institute of Marketing- MCIM

Making the most of digital technology

• BCS The Chartered Institute for IT – Chartered IT Professional (CITP)

2. Three years experience of working in, or advising, small businesses

3. Professional indemnity insurance

Note: We are happy to talk to other professional bodies and organisations that accredit advisors in the five topics that the programme focuses on with a view to including them in the programme if they meet the criteria or have suggestions about how the criteria could be adapted.

Why are businesses required to be members of professional bodies?

We want to ensure that advisors are qualified to provide advice and that there is a route of redress available if a business receives bad advice. Professional membership at the levels stated will ensure that advisors meet baseline standards and that there is a complaints procedure in place. While this won’t guarantee quality, it should reduce the risk of bad advice and protect businesses to some degree. The rating facility on the Marketplace, and other experience, qualifications, references and training, will help small businesses decide who to select.

Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NDR) has been accepted by the Planning Inspectorate into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) development approval process.

The proposed new road, costing an estimated £148.55m, runs from the A47 at Postwick to the A1067 Fakenham Road. The development consent application, which can be viewed on Norfolk County Council’s website, was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate a month ago. It has now been accepted, allowing the formal examination process to begin. This will include a preliminary meeting of interested parties to set the timetable, followed by examination through written submissions and public hearings. This stage has to be complete within six months, and a recommendation to the Secretary of State must be issued within three months. The Secretary of State then has three months to issue a decision. (For further details, follow the Further Information link below.)

Norfolk County Council Leader George Nobbs welcomed the Planning Inspectorate’s decision: “If we are to have the sort of economic success that Norfolk people expect and our county deserves, then projects like this are absolutely essential. I am glad the NDR has cleared another hurdle and this now gives everybody a chance to state their views before a final decision is made.”

Broadland District Council Leader Andrew Proctor, said: “This is one more step towards the Northern Distributor Road becoming a reality. We welcome the recognition that this road is important in opening up the area for economic growth.”

David Harrison, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Development & Waste, added: “I am glad that the NDR has been accepted into the NSIP development approval process. This will ensure that the proposals come under entirely independent scrutiny, and provide opportunities for the full range of opinion to be heard. “In my opinion, the NDR is vital to the future prosperity of a large part of Norfolk and Norwich, and to ensure that the city and surrounds benefits a travel and transport system fit for the 21st century, and I know that many people and businesses share this view. On the other hand there are people opposed to the new road, or who would like to see changes, and they can be sure that the points they make are given fair consideration.”

The development consent application is for the whole of the Northern Distributor Road, from the A47 at Postwick to the A1067 Norwich to Fakenham Road. However, the £19m Postwick junction improvement has already been approved as a stand-alone scheme that will unlock business and housing development in the area. Subject to no legal challenge, work on the junction improvement will begin in the Spring. As well as bringing strong economic benefits, the improved Postwick junction will provide a suitable connection to the A47 for the NDR.

Although the go-ahead for the rest of the NDR depends upon Development Consent being granted, the road has already been declared a nationally signficant project and allocated £86.5m by the Government. This funding is to support its construction from the A47 at Postwick (including the Postwick junction) to the A140 at Norwich Airport. The County Council has made a commitment to deliver the section of the NDR from the A140 to the A1067 Fakenham Road. The current proposal does not include a western connection from the A1067 to the A47 west of Norwich.

The NDR is designed to bring much needed traffic relief for communities to the north and east of Norwich and the city centre, and deliver rapid and sustained economic benefits for Norwich and a large part of Broadland and North Norfolk. For existing businesses, the benefits of easy and reliable access to the national trunk road network and the Airport are considerable. The road unlocks the potential for new businesses and jobs.

The NDR is also a vital element in the Norwich Area Transport Strategy, allowing the development of a modern, sustainable transport system for the city and surrounds, and key infrastructure to cope with growth set out in the Greater Norwich Joint Core Strategy.

Norfolk Chamber of Commerce is a member of the steering group for Norwich for Jobs and is very excited about what has been achieved in relation to Norwich’s young people over the past 12 months. One year on, Norwich for Jobs wants to celebrate the success together with the local business community at an event to be held at the Forum on 21 February from 8.30am – 10.30am.

As a business community we can still do more to help our young people and part of the celebration on the 21st will be to help businesses to understand better how to do this, as well as help celebrate what has been achieved so far.

Places must be reserved by 10 February 2014. and you can book your free place via [email protected].

Norfolk Chamber’s Apprenticeship Brokerage Scheme is also there to help businesses through the minefield of employing an apprentice, so if you are at the stage of looking at the possibilities, Chris Perry would be happy to discuss it with you: [email protected] or call 01603 729 707.

The Government’s aim of transforming the British economy by 2020 by doubling annual exports to £1 trillion and increasing the number of UK exporters by 100,000 is undoubtedly a challenge to UK business and support networks.

Rising to this challenge, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and the British Chambers of Commerce are developing a global network of business-led organisations to provide practical business support to exporting companies in the UK, offering a seamless journey from their local Chamber of Commerce to fully accredited British Business Centres overseas.

The Prime Minister recently launched an £8m programme to enhance these overseas business networks designed to provide SMEs with practical vibrant spaces in which to land and get started in overseas markets. In addition to the support offered by UKTI and Chambers, these business centres will provide other services – from hot desking to PR and discounted advice from experts – across 40 high growth markets such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Poland.

Building a global B2B network has started by connecting the new overseas British Business Centres to UK Chambers. The East of England is fully involved in this initiative and has recently appointed a Regional Coordinator to link accredited Chambers in this region to the networks overseas.

Bradley Rowley, recently International Trade Adviser for UK Trade & Investment based in East Anglia, and Vice Consul for Trade & Investment, British Consulate General, Shanghai, is in place to ensure that companies in Norfolk take full advantage of this new drive. Bradley brings his experience of supporting UK exporters both in the UK and overseas right here to the East of England and will be working in partnership with UKTI, who are behind this important initiative.

Bradley Rowley said:

“Developing strong relationships between domestic and overseas networks is our first priority which will provide UK business with a powerful global business support network for the first time.

“Markets selected have been prioritised as high growth markets but are often seen by our SMEs as difficult to access so it makes sense to provide more B2B support in these countries. In time, this will help position UK businesses at the forefront of global growth opportunities.”

Tracey Howard, International Trade Director of Norfolk Chamber said:

“One thing that remains absolutely clear is the priority that must be attached to boosting our bilateral trade and investment and I am delighted to welcome Bradley, who brings impressive international trade experience. I have no doubt that his combination of business knowledge of the UK market as well as overseas, will greatly benefit businesses in our region.

“Bradley will be developing a much needed integrated global business support network with Chambers of Commerce, UKTI and LEPs, focused on delivering quality services and maintaining high quality customer relations so that companies can see solid and sustained progress in their overseas markets”.

Bradley will be based at Suffolk Chamber’s Ipswich office but will work alongside International Trade Advisers in this region.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Norfolk Chamber – A Powerful Voice for Business

All companies can benefit from the range of information, advice, networking events and International Trade support that is available from Norfolk Chamber.

Norfolk Chamber is one of the most influential business leadership organisations in the UK representing over 800 businesses in Norfolk.

By : • Leading – we provide a powerful voice for business to influence the way our area is shaped • Connecting – we empower the local business community to connect, collaborate and profit • Growing – we help business to prosper through tailored advice, high growth and international trade services

At national level, as part of the British Chambers of Commerce it sits at the heart of a powerful nationwide network of Accredited Chambers of Commerce, serving over 100,000 businesses across the UK, which employ over five million people.

The markets in this programme are Brazil, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, UAE and Vietnam; Kuwait, Algeria, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Burma, Philippines, Cambodia, Pakistan, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Mozambique, Angola, Chile, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic and Japan. Although a developed market, Japan is included because it is often a less easy for UK SMEs and China already has a fully-operational China Britain Business Council which acts in this capacity with UKTI China.

www.exportbritain.org.ukk

Rt Hon Gregory Barker is a Minister of State at the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC). He will be speaking from the new UKIBC centre in Gurgaon, India, about the emerging opportunities in India for British Small and Medium Enterprises and the help available to help them win business.

Join this FREE webinar to find out about the opportunities for UK companies as Indian customers look for world-class technologies, expertise and brands in a variety of sectors, including:

• Infrastructure
• Energy
• Professional Services
• Healthcare
• Education and Skills
• Manufacturing
• IT
• Creative Industries
• Environment

Please click here for more information, and to book your free place.

In this Chamber Session ‘Be Better at Managing People’, Rachel Blackburn, U2SU Consulting, gave delegates a strong insight into how to develop their management skills. With a strong turn out the delegates were eager to get started and were fully engaged throughout the Session. Rachel’s presenting skills were superb and gave the delegates top tips on managing. Rachel’s top tip to the delegates is to follow performance gaps method and the praise sandwich. For Rachel, the highlight of her Session was how involved all delegates were throughout, but she also enjoyed the feedback that was given to her. These Sessions give not only the speaker, but equally all delegates an opportunity to raise their profile and give each other an insight into their companies.

• The BCC publishes its Skills and Employment Manifesto to address ‘skills mismatch’ described by many UK employers
• BCC President, Nora Senior: “Although we believe that successive governments have failed our young people by not properly equipping them for their future careers, it is time to break away from the blame game.”

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has today (Thursday) published its Skills and Employment Manifesto, setting out ways to radically transform the systems that educate our young people, and recommendations for training our adult workforce.

Employers consistently tell us that there is a mismatch between what they are looking for in their staff, and the skills, experience and attitude offered by too many prospective candidates. The Prime Minister regularly refers to a global race, yet the BCC believes that in the 21st century, it is the countries with the most skilled workforces – both young and old – that will be the ultimate winners.

The Manifesto calls for:

• Ensuring that ’employability’ skills are at the heart of how schools are assessed and rated
• Investing in quality careers education for all young people, including regular, quality contact with a variety of employers
• Using Chambers to offer independent advice and support to SMEs to increase investment in apprenticeships and workplace training
• Clear, universally understood qualifications for literacy, numeracy, computing and foreign languages
• Qualifications to be consistent and clear, to enable employers to understand an individual’s competencies
• Tax incentives for the development of foreign language and export skills
• All employment policy to become the responsibility of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)
• Universities to work with Chambers of Commerce to promote enterprise among a wider range of students, and to ensure university courses are relevant to future job opportunities
• The government to give employers a choice on how they receive government funding for apprenticeships – either directly through the tax system or via their chosen training provider

Commenting, Nora Senior, President of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:

“Skills will decide who wins and who loses in a 21st century economy – yet employers across the UK constantly say they struggle to find prospective employees, particularly those leaving education, who have the right skills to succeed in the workplace.

“Although we believe that successive governments have failed our young people by not properly equipping them for their future careers, it is time to break away from the blame game. Various organisations and sectors continue to blame each other for a lack of ‘work readiness’ among young people, but it is time for everyone to accept some responsibility, and find ways to move forward.

Commenting Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber said:

“The world has changed at a rapid pace. If Norfolk doesn’t keep up, employers who are unable to access the skills they need or those unwilling to invest in training will lose business to other firms at home and abroad, putting us at a disadvantage. Simple measures, such as investing in quality careers education, making employability a key measure for schools, and supporting interaction between pupils and local employers, will deliver more jobs and growth in the long-term.

“Government, schools, colleges and employers must all work together in the coming months and years to ensure that the UK including Norfolk has a workforce that is ‘fit for purpose’. Failure to do so risks consigning generation after generation to a less prosperous future. Norfolk Chamber has made this a key priority for a number of years and it is great that we have our national network assisting us orchestrate change”

Growth Vouchers – a £30 million programme which will see around 20,000 small businesses receive up to £2,000 to help them access specialist support on financial management, recruitment, leadership skills, sales and marketing, and digital technology. The programme is now open for applications.

This government programme helps small businesses get expert advice on:

• finance and cash flow
• recruiting and developing staff
• improving leadership and management skills
• marketing, attracting and keeping customers
• making the most of digital technology

Eligibility Your business must:

• have 49 employees or less (including any employees of companies that own a stake in your business)
• be registered in England
• have been trading for at least one year
• not have paid for business advice in the last 3 years
• be independent (ie no more than 25% is owned by other businesses or organisations)

You’ll need the following things to complete your application:

• Companies House registration number or unique tax reference
• registered business address
• business turnover details
• VAT registration number (if you’re registered)
• PAYE number (if you have one)
• contact phone number
• email address

Read the terms and conditions for the Growth Vouchers programme.

Full details and how to apply can be found here

As part of their commitment to developing their partnerships with stakeholders, Abellio Greater Anglia have commissioned the independent research organisation – Jungle Green Ltd – to conduct an online Stakeholder Research Survey. This research involved a short questionnaire that will help Abellio Greater Anglia understand the areas in which they are doing well and where they need improvement.

Abellio Greater Anglia to shape how they work with stakeholders in the future by completing the online survey.

Commenting on the package of business rate and local support measures announced today (Wednesday) by the Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP, Dr Adam Marshall, Director of Policy and External Affairs at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:

“While the rate reliefs will help many smaller companies, anything less than a fundamental reform of Britain’s broken business rate system is just a sticking plaster.

“Westminster and the media seem to think that business rates are only a problem for retailers. Yet they are a huge, and rising, fixed cost for all businesses – and hurt firms on industrial estates and in offices just as much or more than the high street.

“The Prime Minister has recently committed to looking again at the business rates system. He and the Chancellor must set a clear timetable for this – and ensure that their own ministers, and Whitehall civil servants, do not yet again hide behind the excuse that fundamental reform of business rates is ‘too difficult’ to achieve.”

As a follow up to the Norfolk Chamber’s ‘Audience with George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer’ event on the 7 November, we submitted a number of questions from our members to the Chancellor. Responses to those questions are now starting to be received from the relevant Ministers within Westminster.

John Last, Vice Chancellor at the Norwich University of the Arts (NUA), asked two questions to the Chancellor, we have now received his second response.

John’s question to the Chancellor was:

“One if the enduring strengths of UK HE plc has been the influence we have had through overseas students coming to the UK to study, in terms of their contribution to our economy and then such students taking a UK-friendly way of thinking and openness to working with and buying from the UK back to their country of origin. At Norwich University of the Arts we appreciate the concerns about appropriate monitoring of entrants to the UK but nonetheless wonder if the Government might be able to do anything further to support Universities such as NUA in giving access to UK HE to suitably qualified students?”

Find on the attached document the written response from the Department for Business innovation & Skills.

Commenting ahead of the latest GDP results, Caroline Williams, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said: At present Norfolk business confidence is high and the Norfolk and East of England business communities are resolute in their determination to take the recovery from being good to being truly great.

The recent British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey (released 7 January), showed that firms from all sectors across Norfolk believe they can create jobs, invest, and export. It is especially pleasing that the spurt in manufacturing has proven not to be a fluke, which demonstrates the dynamism of our small, high value, manufacturing sector. But Norfolk businesses have major ambitions, and to be able to meet them, more support must be provided. Cashflow continues to be an ongoing concern, and may hold businesses back from expanding to meet the growing levels of demand. We must give companies the opportunity to get the finance they need to go out and trade in the world if we are to succeed in rebalancing the economy.

In the manufacturing sector, key balances are at all time highs, and domestic balances in the services sector continue to break new ground. The strong export and investment balances confirm that business in the East of England is set to play a key role in rebalancing the economy.

One such example is Great Yarmouth based, Dabbrook Services Ltd who has had great success in exporting. Their first successful large export was to Kuwait in 2010, where they supplied and commissioned remote solar power systems.

Anna Smith, Finance Manager for Dabbrook said “Being one of the few companies worldwide able to offer the expertise to the design, manufacture and installation of Remote Power Systems, we are very active in exporting worldwide and to the Middle East in particular, having just successfully completed a $1.2m project, we are in the final bidding stages for a further $3m contract. With the help of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and UKTI we are exploring further afield for new opportunities.”

Prior Diesel Ltd, operates in oil, gas, marine, power and construction industries and is also based in Great Yarmouth. They too have accomplished export success. Chris Conroy, Managing Director said:”In the last twelve months we’ve exported to over sixty different companies across the globe and we expect that number to increase this year.”