With the deadline for the end of the Brexit Transition Period fast approaching and Prime Minister Boris Johnson warning there is a “strong possibility” of no deal, Norfolk Chambers of Commerce wishes to assure its members and the wider Norfolk business community that we are here to provide guidance and support through the potentially troubled waters ahead.
01 January 2021, are you ready?
A question posed across the media and all government departments to the business community throughout 2020.
Whilst there are things you can prepare for, many will ask “Prepared for what?” as they try to disseminate the tangible actions amongst the barrage of information.
We would like to assure you that as soon as further information becomes available, we will strive to cut through the jargon and bring you clear advice.
The EU-UK Joint committee have come to an agreement in principle on the Northern Ireland protocol. Whilst this is a positive step forward, we are awaiting the conversion of this agreement into crystal clear guidance for the business community moving forward.
Commenting on the introduction of ‘Tier 4’ of Coronavirus restrictions in England, with many businesses once again forced to close their doors from 20th December, BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
“Christmas was already cancelled for many businesses, but even more will now suffer as a result of this last-minute decision.
“While Government must act on public health concerns, it must also address the economic consequences of its actions. Will there be more help for firms being forced to shut their doors – and for those who have paid for stock they now can’t sell? What support will there be for companies whose cash flow projections have once again been thrown into chaos?
“The introduction of an additional tier without warning or additional help is a huge blow to businesspeople who wanted nothing more than to be able to trade safely through the holiday season and beyond.
“It is clear ministers across all four nations are now considering even tougher measures. With huge numbers of firms already on the edge, it would be unconscionable for further restrictions or closures to be announced without a more comprehensive package of support in place that gives businesses the confidence that ministers will stand by them through an uncertain year ahead.”
Commenting on GDP figures for November 2020 published today by the ONS, BCC Head of Economics Suren Thiru said:
“The latest figures highlight the continued damage being done to the UK economy by coronavirus.
“The decline in output in November was largely driven by the drag on activity from the second lockdown, with consumer-focused services firms, who are most exposed to lockdown restrictions, enduring a particularly difficult month.
“With any post-lockdown rally in output in December constrained by the tougher tiered restrictions, including the introduction of tier 4 measures, the UK economy is likely to have contracted in the final quarter of 2020.
“A third lockdown means that a double-dip recession in the first quarter of this year may be inevitable, particularly if the current post-Brexit disruption persists through the quarter.
“A clear and comprehensive plan is urgently needed to support the economy throughout this year. This should include closing the current gaps in government support and providing more significant grant funding to support cash strapped businesses. A fit-for-purpose Test, Trace and Isolate system remains critical to keeping the economy moving once the current lockdown ends.”
Commenting on the Prime Minister’s announcement of a new, national lockdown in England, and following the implementation of a lockdown in Scotland, BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
“Businesses will understand why the Prime Minister has felt compelled to act on the spiralling threat to public health, but they will be baffled and disappointed by the fact that he did not announce additional support for affected businesses alongside these new restrictions.
“The lockdowns announced in England and Scotland today are a body blow to our business communities, hard on the heels of lost trade during the festive season and uncertainty linked to the end of the Brexit transition period. Tens of thousands of firms are already in a precarious position, and now face a period of further hardship and difficulty.
“Billions have already been spent helping good firms to survive this unprecedented crisis and to save jobs. These businesses must not be allowed to fail now, when the vaccine rollout provides light at the end of this long tunnel. The financial support for businesses needs to be stepped up in line with the devastating restrictions being placed on them. Otherwise, many of these firms may simply not be there to power our recovery when we emerge once again.
“Enhanced support for businesses, a turbo-charged vaccine rollout, and delivery of existing promises on mass testing must be delivered to enable the UK to restart, rebuild and renew.”
Norfolk County Council have released their business ratepayers consultation for 2021/2022. With a very challenging year for everyone last year, the budget for the coming financial year had to make allowances for the continuing response to the Covid-19 pandemic; dealing with Brexit and reducing carbon.
There is major uncertainty about government funding beyond 2021-22, including uncertainty linked with impact of COVID-19 and leaving the EU. As well as significant uncertainty around impact of COVID-19 on council tax and business rates income 2021-22. Therefore Norfolk County Council are proposing to increase council tax by 3.99% in 2021-22 (including 2% Adult Social Care precept), with a further 1% increase in Adult Social Care precept deferred to 2022-23.
A Capital Programme of £537.660m is proposed for 2021-25+ reflecting significant capital investment in major projects including:
Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing.
Long Stratton bypass.
Programme to improve SEND school provision
The County Council have also provided a presentation to outline key spending decisions, which can be viewed here.
They are very keen to hear from the Norfolk business community. Please give your feedback via: [email protected] by 31 January 2021.
As Coronavirus continues to impact the day-to-day operations of businesses across the UK, the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce stand ready to support you. We have created a range of resources to help address your concerns which can be found on our website.
Since March 2020, thousands of businesses across the UK have contributed to the Coronavirus Business Impacts Tracker. Your views have gone directly to the highest levels of Government and have formed one of the most important datasets shaping the economic response throughout the crisis.
In this 5 minute survey, please feel free to give your views on business conditions, Coronavirus business support schemes, and possible changes flowing from the introduction of the EU-UK trade agreement on 1 January. A link to the survey is below: COVID-19 and Brexit Survey
Your views have never been more important for both your own business and all others within the business community.
On Thursday 10th January I had the absolute pleasure of spending the evening at City College Norwich’s Debut restaurant for a Cyber-Security themed dinner. It was an intimate affair with the option of a mojito mocktail or prosecco on arrival, I opted for the prosecco of course. With around 20 people in the room it was easy to speak to a number of different people most of whom had never been to the restaurant before and were looking forward to it as much as I was.
Reception part of the evening over we were called to our seats for dinner to begin, I have to admit I was rather excited by the prospect of a mystery dinner and it did not disappoint. The food was absolutely outstanding, especially given that the entire thing was executed by the college’s Hospitality Apprenticeship students. It was a four-course affair with a pea and mint soup amuse bouche; crispy goats cheese, beetroot texture, and French salad starter; duck breast with parsnip, red cabbage, and potatoes; and a salted caramel and chocolate tart for pudding. Every single course was outstanding and presented to a very high standard, the students serving us were very professional and I’m sure will go on to have fantastic careers in the hospitality industry. I had the pleasure of being seated next to one of the degree apprenticeship officers from the college who explained that many of the students go on to work on cruise ships, in high level kitchens, and private yachts and I can certainly see why! Before the speakers took their place on the stairs (in lieu of a stage) we were presented with truffles and tea, which went down an absolute treat. I even joked to some of the people on my table that I have had worse food and service in a restaurant!
The evening was focused on cyber-security and made possible with the help of Cyberfen so after we had finished our outstanding dinner came the presentation portion of the evening. First up with Peter Cubbin who’s main message was for us to forget the technology, something you don’t expect to hear at a cyber-security evening, or at least I certainly didn’t. He highlighted that often when organisations experience disruption to their processes it’s usually because they are collateral damage of a larger attack, his example was the Wannacry virus which put large swathes of the NHS on lockdown in 2017. He argued that this could have been avoided if organisations had updated their systems to take on a security patch released by Microsoft in the months running up to the attack.
Next up was Deborah Cubbin who explained to the room that businesses need to be considering the wider repercussions of an attack on the business as a whole. She said that too often the onus is put on the IT and Security team to fend off an attack whereas business leaders should in fact be involving themselves in security. When a business experiences an attack it can have a detrimental impact on their reputation and therefore should be considered a business issue as opposed to a technical issue.
Finally Paul Maskell took to the stage with the message that organisations need to be taking people’s data more seriously. He used the hypothetical situation of me asking to borrow his car, he would be happy to lend it to me but he had previous experience of doing so to Kieren who had not treated it very well and in turn leant it to his friend who had taken it for a jolly down to London. His point was that when I asked to borrow his car, where he previously would have agreed, due to his negative experience with Kieren he would be less inclined to do so. He said the same is true for customer’s data, they trust us as businesses to look after it and do the right thing when they give it to us, companies that betray this trust make customers more wary of sharing it in future. We should be protecting data as if it is the most important thing to us.
The evening closed with a short introduction to the new Information Technology and Computing, Level 3 City College are running from September 2019. The course has been designed alongside employers and teaches students both the technical and soft skills they need to succeed in the workplace.
I was absolutely delighted to be invited to such a great evening and will definitely be attending the next one, assuming I get an invite of course!
With over 125 years in business, Norfolk Chambers of Commerce places emphasis on supporting more Norfolk businesses by embracing digital communities.
As Norfolk’s largest business membership network, Norfolk Chambers of Commerce is aiming to give local businesses even more opportunities to connect, engage and collaborate.
With a mission of Connecting, Supporting and Giving Voice to Every Business in Norfolk, the non-profit organisation is turning up the volume on how and where businesses can get advice and support.
Norfolk Chambers has already launched two new exciting digital platforms – Norfolk’s Voice – a members only e-zine, and the first stage of Norfolk Knowledge Hub, a knowledge and skills sharing platform that is free to use for all.
The move to become a Digital Chamber has been a long time in the planning. Last year Norfolk Chambers introduced Vice Chairman of the Social Media Council at the DMA and director of award-winning digital marketing and social media experts SocialB, Lynsey Sweales, as its President. With over 16 years’ experience in digital marketing working with clients such as Google and Aston Martin, Lynsey brings in a wealth of experience to help encourage companies to embrace digital innovation and grow their business online.
There has also been a change to Norfolk Chambers’ senior management team. Nova Fairbank who was previously Head of Policy, Governance & Public Affairs has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, and Paul Vincent, previously Financial Controller has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer.
Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chambers said: “This investment in change is part of the development and growth of the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce. As a Chamber we provide networking opportunities, share knowledge, offer business advice and support, signpost to business opportunities and inspire innovative thinking to enable companies to do better business. These new digital platforms and new roles within the Chambers will enable us to remain relevant and help support many more Norfolk businesses in their quest to get ready to grow.”
Commenting on the announcement of the fund, Nova Fairbank, Chief Operating Officer for Norfolk Chamberssaid:
“This is a welcome first step in dealing with some of the major issues that small businesses trading with the EU are facing. With their finances already under a significant squeeze firms, particularly those which export, are inevitably encountering difficulties in adapting to the complexities of the new arrangements.
“It is now crucial that the grants provide sufficient funds to make a real difference and the government should stand ready to increase their size if needed. We will continue working closely with government to make sure this scheme is delivered as quickly and smoothly as possible for firms still adapting to the new EU trading arrangements and the impact of the pandemic.
“The Norfolk Chamber will also continue to offer as much direct support as we can to SMEs especially through ChamberCustoms and our other International Trade Services.
Having lived, worked and raised my family in Norfolk for well over 25 years now, it’s kind of easy for me to articulate the many great things our region has on offer. Simply put, it is just a fantastic, supportive place to be. I’m guessing though if you’re reading this, then you probably already know. Sure, there’s a shopping list of things we need to make the region better: roads, connectivity, and 5G for example, but compared to many other locations the positives truly outweigh the negatives. Not everyone, in Norfolk, is aware of this fact, (well some are), but not many …. yet! Brand Norwich and Norfolk In the years before I took this role of Chamber CEO, hearing people refer to the place I lived and worked inaccurately would make me smile. I would think to myself. “Pfffft, whatever. Go ahead and believe the outdated stereotype, I know the truth.” Now I see things very differently. Our region (Norwich, Norfolk, the East, my road etc.) has some of the most creative, innovative and world-leading businesses to boast about. Changing the inaccurate perception of ‘place’, rather than being a niggle is now one of my biggest goals. If the understanding of our region remains in the past, then students in our schools, or to put it a better way: ‘your future workforce’ will not consider that their future is on their doorstep. You are on are on their doorstep! Perception comes before investment! Consider this, our creative, innovative, and future world-leading businesses need the best connectivity. The agricultural community needs the best connectivity to make the most of new technology designed to save time, money, fuel and more. If the perception of place by decision makers outside the region, who are responsible for making these decisions, is outdated then it makes the job of getting what we need (not want, NEED) much harder. We need to update the perception of our region as ‘perception is our reality.’ If the perception remains outdated it will hold us back from the many things we need. JFK Former American President, John F Kennedy’s inaugural speech of 1961 was a ground-breaking speech of the time. Kennedy gave a clear message of hope, and a new approach of peace with the focus on, the relationship with the international stage. He asked for his fellow Americans to join him on the journey and make an oath, to no longer look inwards, but outwards and beyond, and for all his citizens to be responsible for their country’s journey and its future. “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” Norfolk businesses, need to go on a similar metaphoric journey. We can change our voice and therefore the true perception of our region and to do so we must work as a collective and not as an individual. Our narrative of the region – let’s be clear The way we tell our story, about what we do and who we are is key to everything. How we speak, the stories we tell and the words we write. We are all ambassadors responsible for our futures and the new generations of worker’s futures too. Remember if we don’t tell anyone about what we do, how will they know? How will they understand the correct use of ‘place,’ how and why they should ‘invest’. There are three things to collectively doThing 1: We need to be seen. Online consumption has changed the game for every business. You must now master the art of storytelling and create digital content. Show the world what you do, share the environment you work in, live in and play in. Now! The Chamber will help and if you create it, we will broadcast it. ‘Norfolk’s Voice’ is a soon to be launched as a digital channel, it’s all part of our transformation program to allow a greater voice for business. It will need your content, your stories, your voice. The narrative of the ‘now.’ Why? Because in Norfolk the now is the ‘WOW’! Thing 2: “you can’t sell on a negative!” No one I’m sure will have a tin of Yeoman’s pie filling in their cupboard, if you have, throw it away as I think they stopped production in the 1980s, so it will probably make you poorly, anyway back in the 1980’s Yeoman’s ran an unusual marketing with the slogan ‘guaranteed, no lumps of fat or gristle.’ Doesn’t sound very appealing does it… lumps of fat or gristle! Leaves you feeling a little queasy, but I can see what they were trying to do. However, the approach runs the danger of associating you with the thing you’re trying so hard, not to be associated with. 100% pure beef would have worked better! We ‘Norfolk folk’ have a bit of a habit of referencing the misperception of the region first, before highlighting the positives, “People say Norfolk is the end of the line. But it really isn’t!” Why is being the end of a line a negative? Surely, the end of your journey is where everything starts, a beginning, not an end? Don’t highlight negatives, particularly ones that no longer exist. “Norwich used to have the black death in the 1600s, but it’s been eradicated now, well several centuries ago!” How far back do you want to go? Close the book on the negatives, place the book on a high shelf and let it collect dust. Thing 3: Like JFK make an oath! Do something every day or every week for Norfolk. Something that you do, see, find or hear that accentuates a positive. There are loads to choose from. See it, share it, and put a Norfolk wrapper around it that talks about the place my favourite is #brilliantnorwich, #brilliantnorfolk. Think of the power of the collective, If we all did this, imagine the effect. If we don’t do these three things the negatives will prevail. They are easy to find, they get lots of coverage sadly. So, make the oath, and restore the balance. It’s all about the Now.
Commenting on the latest GDP figures published today by the ONS, BCC Head of Economics, Suren Thiru, said:
“The UK economy recorded stronger than expected growth in the final quarter of 2020 as the squeeze on output from the November lockdown was more than offset by a temporary boost from the release of pent-up demand from the subsequent easing in restrictions, increased activity from the coronavirus testing schemes and Brexit stockpiling.
“Despite avoiding a double-dip recession, with output still well below pre-pandemic levels amid confirmation that 2020 was a historically bleak year for the UK economy, there is little to cheer in the latest data.
“Modest growth at the end of 2020 is set to be followed by a substantial fall in output in the first quarter of this year as the current lockdown, the unwinding of Brexit inventories and disruption to UK-EU trade flows combine to suffocate activity.
“While the vaccine rollout offers optimism, with the scarring caused by the pandemic likely to crystallise as government support winds down and the prospect of persistent post-Brexit disruption, any recovery may be slower than the Bank of England currently predicts.
“The current drip-feed approach to support measures means firms cannot plan for more than a few weeks ahead. It is critical that the government swiftly implements a package of measures that support businesses and the economy for the whole of 2021, including removing the cliff-edges for business rate reliefs, VAT deferrals and furlough.”
The Kickstart Scheme has been underway since September 2020 and has now seen 120,000 16-24-year olds find employment.
The Kickstart Scheme, which is fully Government funded, is aimed at 16-24-year olds who are on universal credit and who may find it more challenging to access the world of work, which has been hit hard by the pandemic.
The scheme offers six-month work placements of which the Government will pay 100 per cent of the young persons’ age-relevant National Minimum Wage, National Insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week, which the employer can top up if they chose to in both salary and hours. In addition, the Government will also pay the employer £1500 for each young person they take on, to support any training or associated costs like uniforms that they might incur when setting up the scheme.
Recently it was granted that companies with less than 30 vacancies can now apply directly via DWP without using a Gateway, however, the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce is a recommended Gateway and without cost to you, will help you with your application and liaise with the DWP in ensuring your application is successful. We can also assist with any training needs you require from recommending and putting you in touch with training providers, as well as saving you time in the application process while making the whole process as smooth as possible.
For more information and to be part of this amazing youth employment programme, please get in touch via [email protected]