Chamber News

Commenting on the ongoing negotiations between the UK and the EU, BCC Director General Dr Adam Marshall said:

“Businesses need the two sides to knuckle down and agree a deal. Otherwise companies will have to spend cash they don’t have preparing for a ‘no deal’ scenario yet again, just as they try to cope with the impact of the worst economic crisis in living memory.

“Both the UK and EU need to signal a willingness to compromise when they meet next week. Allowing the present standoff to continue would be like kicking the economy when it’s already down. Livelihoods in both the UK and the EU depend on rapid moves to break the logjam.

“As we have been warning for years now, businesses still need detailed answers on a wide range of questions if they are to plan for change. That need is only intensifying as the end of the transition period comes into sight.” 

On the UK government’s plans for easements at the Border:

“Companies will be pleased to see the government adopting a pragmatic approach to customs procedures at the border. Many trading businesses were shocked when the government insisted that it would be imposing full checks and bureaucracy from day one – deal or no deal – and they will welcome this more practical and sensible approach. 

“We have long campaigned for the UK government to prioritise flow across the border, not revenue or bureaucracy, when the transition period comes to an end. The very last thing ministers should seek to do is to pile new compliance costs on trading firms, who are already dealing with higher costs and lower revenues due to the coronavirus crisis.”

Commenting on additional grant funding to support customs agents, BCC Director of Trade Facilitation Liam Smyth said:

“We are pleased to see the government respond to our call to provide additional funding for customs agents. More than 150,000 traders will need support to make customs declarations for the first time, and this £50m will help to make that happen.” 

Norfolk County Council’s Public Health team has produced a toolkit for supporting businesses to engage with staff and customers, as they begin to re-open and to ensure a safer and healthier environment for their staff. 

This toolkit is not intended to replace or supersede other guidance; it is intended to help to give further detail on the aspects of behaviours that will be necessary to reduce / prevent the spread of coronavirus. It is intended to help businesses, who need to have employees or customers on their premises, find ideas that will work for them and their situation.

From today, Monday 15 June, it is mandatory to wear face coverings on public transport in England (bus, coach, train, tram, ferry and aircrafts). This is to help reduce the risk of transmission when social distancing is not always possible.

• Under the new rules, operators will be able to prevent passengers who refuse to follow the rules from travelling and police will be able to issue fines of £100;
• Over 3,000 extra staff will be deployed from Monday to support the travelling public, reminding people about the need to wear face coverings and helping vulnerable passengers

Guidance remains to work from home if you can and avoid public transport where possible. Find out more here.

All non-essential retail shops (high street retailers, department stores, book shops, electronics retailers, tailors, auction houses, photography studios, indoor markets, and shops selling clothes, shoes and toys) can reopen in England from today, Monday 15 June, provided they follow guidelines to keep staff and customers as safe as possible.

Please refer to the Working safely during coronavirus Shops and Branches guidance for further details and watch the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy webinar on working safely in shops and branches during coronavirus.

The Government have provided  funding to help support some of the businesses and charities that did not qualify under the Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund.

Government have requested that Local Authorities prioritise certain types of businesses and charities from this fund, and have set out guidance under which there are some criteria that a local scheme must comply with. However, local councils are also able to support businesses that are important to the local economy and are able to set their own criteria for these.  Subject to the criteria your business may be eligible for support.

This scheme cannot help all businesses who are likely to seek support and Local Authorities are inviting applications for the local discretionary grant with a fixed time period for applications.

Both South Norfolk and Broadland District Councils have now begun taking applications for the fund. You can find out more details for each here:

South Norfolk Council

Broadland District Council

The Department of Work and Pensions have launched a new campaign around Universal Credit and COVID-19.

A new website has been launched to provide clear, factual information on employment and benefits support with advice on housing, furlough, sick pay and self-employment, alongside advice and FAQs for employers, those already claiming and those making a new claim.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact upon the lives and livelihoods of people across East of England, this new website will be a vital resource for thousands who need concise, accurate information on the support available to them and their family.

DWP have provided a suite of social media assets with approved messaging which you can download here. This link will expire after 7 days.

The new campaign content is simple and informative, with an emphasis on ensuring that all new and existing Universal Credit claimants are kept fully up to date with how to access the support available.

The UK government and HM Treasury have announced that people on paternity and maternity leave who return to work in the coming months will be eligible for the furlough scheme, despite the 10 June cut-off date.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has been extended until October, with new flexibilities being introduced by the government from 01 July to support the economy by allowing furloughed employees to return to work part-time. Find out more here.

Commenting on GDP statistics for April 2020, published today (12 June) by the ONS, BCC Head of Economics Suren Thiru said:

“With a monthly fall in UK GDP over thirty times the average month on month decline during the global financial crisis, the economic impact of Coronavirus has been put into sharp relief.

“With lockdown restrictions gradually easing and shops beginning to reopen, April is likely to prove to be the low point for the UK economy. However, any prospect of a ‘V-shaped’ recovery remains unlikely, with many sectors continuing to operate at reduced capacity. Some firms, including those in our hospitality, leisure and tourism industries, may remain closed for some time and will require flexible and open-ended government support to weather the economic storm.

“Over the coming months, further action will be needed to limit the long-term economic damage and kickstart a recovery, including close gaps in government support and providing incentives to help stimulate consumer demand and business investment. Establishing air bridges between countries with low infection rates would provide a much-needed boost to key parts of the UK economy.”

A database for sharing offers of PPE and return to work equipment has been launched by New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership to support the reopening of businesses

A simplified directory was set up in March and this has played a key role in the supply of PPE to frontline workers in the health and social care sector. On the back of that success, and thanks to the production and supply of equipment by local companies, the LEP has now expanded the service.

More than 1,200 products – from face masks, visors and aprons to sanitiser and other return to work equipment – have already been listed by around 250 suppliers, many of which are based in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Entrepreneurial businesses across the region began producing PPE as a way of continuing to operate and pay their staff during the pandemic, while at the same time helping to meet the desperate demand.

Organisations based in Norfolk and Suffolk can log in here to access the database after a short verification process.

Chris Starkie, Chief Executive of New Anglia LEP, said:

“Whether you are a small business needing a small batch of masks or a care provider requiring a large amount of stock, you can log in to this digital database and find the PPE you need,” he said.

“Helping businesses to protect their employees and their customers as they return to work is going to be key to the recovery effort and having all these products in one place will support them in this important phase.

“It is also a way of the LEP rewarding the local businesses which have manufactured these desperately needed items during this emergency and helped slow the spread of Coronavirus.”

Requests to view the database are moderated and granted on a case by case basis. For businesses sharing offers of products or services, the LEP will be requesting Companies House information, as well as details about stock and production capacity, and how products conform to required standards.

For full details on how to access the database click here.

The British Chambers of Commerce is delighted to be a ‘Supporting Organisation‘ of the China-Britain Business Council UK-China Business Week 2020, which will take place online from 15th – 19th June.

Our colleagues in China, the collective British Chambers of Commerce in China are a key partner for the event and will be presenting their  British Business in China: Position Paper 2020 on the first day.

Designed to shine a spotlight on China’s economic recovery and call attention to opportunities for UK businesses of all sizes and sectors to re-engage with China, the event programme will highlight the importance of why now more than ever, China remains a vital business proposition for the UK.   Each day will have a specific theme to guide you and your business. The interactive sessions will be held over five consecutive days and will focus on current trends in the following sectors: Retail & Consumer, Education, Tech & Innovation, SMEs and FDI from China to the UK.

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to hear from thought leaders sharing cutting edge insights into bilateral trade and key members of the UK-China business community sharing macro perspectives and practical advice on doing business in China.

The full programme is available here (subject to change) and all British Chambers of Commerce members across the UK are invited to register for free.

We are running a series of FREE webinars with the help and expertise of our members, do you have knowledge you would like to impart and think would be useful for businesses during this period.

The webinars will be 30 – 60 minutes long and will focus on key topics or subjects relevant to businesses of different sectors. These can focus on a particular software, how to work remotely, how to motivate your team or the rise of e-commerce for particular markets for example. 

If you’re interested in delivering a webinar with Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, please complete the online form to register your interest. We will be in touch to discuss your webinar and arrange a date and time for this to take place.

For any questions please contact Kalene Herrington, Events Coordinator on [email protected] or telephone 01603 729712.

“The Government must ensure its engagement with business over the coronavirus recovery is not just a “box-ticking exercise.”

That’s the message from Norfolk Chambers of Commerce as business secretary Alok Sharma prepares to launch five new business-focused groups as part of the plans to kickstart the economy.

• The future of industry: How to accelerate business innovation and leverage private sector investment in research and development
• Green recovery: How to capture economic growth opportunities from the shift to net zero carbon emissions
• Backing new businesses: How to make the UK the best place in the world to start and scale a business
• Increasing opportunity: How to level up economic performance across the UK, including through skills and apprenticeships
• The UK open for business: How to win and retain more high value investment for the UK

The groups will form part of the Government’s plans for restarting the economy, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly set to unveil them with a major speech next month.

Mr Sharma will this week chair the first meetings of new ‘recovery roundtables’, bringing together businesses, business representative groups and leading academics.

Norfolk Chambers is also encouraging our members to let us know about the measures that would best support them to restart, recover and grow.

Nova Fairbank, Head of Policy for Norfolk Chambers said: “It is critical that the Government works in genuine partnership with businesses in order to support a return to economic growth.

“Engagement cannot be a tick box exercise. We welcome the announcement of these new groups and look forward to learning more about their composition, remit and measures that are taken forwards from them in due course.

“There is no denying the significant impact that this pandemic has had on the Norfolk business community.  What this period of disruption and change does give us is an opportunity to do things differently and radically rethink the way in which the Government engages with and enables good business growth in the UK.

“We will continue to deliver a strong Norfolk business voice for our members both locally and nationally through the British Chambers of Commerce, who will be actively involved in these groups.  Please send all feedback to [email protected]