Norwich Airport hosted the recent Norwich Chamber Council meeting and took the opportunity to outline some of their plans for the future.
Richard Pace, Managing Director for Norwich Airport noted some of the key areas of success from the past year: the airport had catered for 524,000 passengers; 40,000 aircraft movements; had 25 direct flight destinations; and provided approximately 1,000 people with employment on site – 260 being directly employed by Norwich Airport.
Mr Pace gave an overview of their 30 year Masterplan, which is currently being drafted. This will include: upgrades to airport infrastructure; increases in passenger growth; and more holiday destinations; as well as their aspirations to take advantage of the completion of the NDR. There will be an opportunity to review the Norwich Airport Masterplan when it goes out for consultation later in the year.
The Norwich Chamber Council meeting was chaired by the newly appointed Chair, Paul McCarthy, General Manager of Intu Chapelfield.
A new guide aims to help businesses understand the UK’s trade prospects in a post-Brexit world.
Produced by Clifford Chance and the CBI, The Future of Trade for the UK – a Guide for Businesses (available here) claims to provide firms with tools they can use to analyse the impact of Brexit.
The guide assesses a number of scenarios for the UK leaving the EU and their potential impact on businesses, including negotiations on a long-term UK-EU agreement, World Trade Organization (WTO) and third country free trade agreements (FTAs), and interim arrangements.
Around 85% of the UK’s trade is either with EU Member States or with countries which benefit from preferential trade arrangements with the EU, the report highlights.
With many companies likely to be facing unfamiliar and complex trade rules after Brexit, the guide offers advice to help them identify and prepare for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
One of the main issues identified is the impact of Brexit on supply chains.
Jessica Gladstone of Clifford Chance warned that the changes to come will not just affect big UK businesses that export to the EU or through the EU’s current trade links.
For example, she explained, any UK or EU-27 manufacturer that is part of a complex EU supply chain could be at risk because of the way FTAs work.
There are two important steps that firms can take to address such challenges, Ms Gladstone has suggested. The first is to understand the issues and how they could affect a particular business and sector; the second is to lobby the Government, to ensure that it understands what businesses need from the forthcoming negotiations.
In the words of the report: “Business and Government must communicate effectively and work together to ensure the UK’s future trading arrangements promote business, jobs and growth.”
The removal of 24-hours lights from the A140 Cromer Road after the completion of major gas diversion work has provided a short respite for motorists, but signals will be in use again for the rest of this week (from Thursday 23 March). The signals will only be in use when needed to provide a safety zone while 34 beams are lifted into place on the bridge that will carry the A140 over Norwich Northern Distributor Road. These lifts can be delayed by any wind stronger than a moderate breeze, and although the reinforced concrete beams may all be in place by Friday evening, it is possible that work will have to continue into the weekend. B1149 Holt Road 24-hour signals
From Tuesday 28 March (corrected) 24-hour traffic lights will be in place at the roundabout construction site where Holt Road will connect with the realigned Drayton Lane, south of Horsford. These will be two-way lights, except for a period on 3-4 April when they will be four-way at the crossroads with Church Street and old Drayton Lane. The traffic lights will remain in use until the four-day closure (10-13 April) of Holt Road for the final surfacing and tie-in of the new Drayton Lane roundabout. The only access road at the southern end of Horsford will be Church Street to the A140 Cromer Road. Norfolk County Council and Balfour Beatty apologise for the disruption and inconvenience these unavoidable traffic management measures will cause to road users.
A leading Parliamentary Committee has sought to shed light on the potential impact of four different scenarios on the UK’s post-Brexit international trade relationships.
Published by the House of Commons International Trade Committee, a new report considers not only the implications of each model for the UK’s future trading relationships, but also the relevant issues that the Government will need to resolve.
The scenarios considered are: the UK’s relationship with the World Trade Organization (WTO); the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that the Government intends to strike with the EU; the implications of the UK falling back on trading with the EU under WTO rules alone and the UK’s future trading relationship with non-EU countries.
Perhaps surprisingly, the Committee recommends that the Government should evaluate the implications of the UK’s rejoining the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
Doing so would, MPs argue, offer an opportunity for a smoother transition as the UK leaves the EU.
The prospect of UK membership of EFTA from 2019 onwards could be to Britain’s advantage the report suggests, calling on the Secretary of State to publish a White Paper on EFTA membership before summer 2017, so that negotiations can commence before the end of the year.
“The Government is about to embark on a process that will transform our trading relationships in Europe and across the globe,” Committee Chairman Angus MacNeil said.
He added that the Government must not only set out its vision for UK trade after Brexit, but also provide reassurance that contingency plans will be in place in case an agreement with the EU is not reached.
MPs also want clarification about the extent to which the UK can start negotiating new FTAs before it leaves the EU. The report UK Trade Options Beyond 2019 can be found here.
On Wednesday 22nd March Norfolk Chamber held a thought provoking HR Forum that examined pay discrimination in the workplace. Over 25 members attended the topical session that was delivered by expert speakers from Howes Percival.
The afternoon encouraged stimulating discussions among HR professionals and business leaders, during a time of key changes in employment law. With new legislation coming in to effect in April 2017 requiring larger businesses to produce reports on the pay gaps between men and women in their organisations, there was plenty to talk about.
Nicola Butterworth, a solicitor at Howes Percival kicked things off with a general employment law update that covered a range of issues from changes to statutory payments to the ‘gig economy’. This led to an interesting review of recent landmark cases and an interactive Q and A session.
Howes Percival Partner, Graham Irons then went on to discuss the main feature of the session; reviewing the pay gap between genders in the workplace. Graham explained key details of the reporting requirements business will soon face and reviewed a number of fascinating pay discrimination cases.
Our next HR Forum will be held on 21st June. You can find more details about the event and book your place by clicking here.
Both before and after the referendum vote last year, the idea was mooted that the UK could always fall back on World Trade Organization (WTO) rules if it failed to agree a deal with the EU.
However, CBI President Paul Drechsler warned his audience at the Lord Mayor’s recent Business and Investment dinner, this scenario would have disastrous consequences.
“Wherever I go across Europe, I hear concerns about the UK leaving without a deal and falling into WTO rules,” he said. “We should be under no illusions about what this would really mean. A ‘no deal’ scenario would open a Pandora’s Box of economic consequences.”
The UK would face tariffs on 90% of its EU exports by value and a raft of new regulatory hurdles, Mr Drechsler claimed.
Some firms are getting ready for this possibility in order to reduce economic damage, he continued, while some are sitting tight and hoping for a deal.
“But in reality,” Mr Drechlser said, “many firms can’t prepare because the cost of change is simply too high to even consider it.”
Whether you’re a salmon farmer in Scotland, an aerospace giant in the Midlands or a tech start-up in Cambridge, he went on, Brexit will affect your business so the CBI is busy talking to Ambassadors from other EU countries, as well as sister organisations in France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany and Malta.
Because leaving without a deal would bring significant tariff and regulatory barriers to trade, Mr Drechsler concluded, business strongly supports the Government in its ambition to secure an ambitious trade agreement with the EU.
BCC upgrades its UK economic growth forecast for 2017, but downgrades outlook for 2018.
Inflation breaches the Bank of England’s 2% target as earnings growth continues to slow.
Federal Reserve raises US interest rates and more rises are expected this year.
The third official estimate for Q4 2016 UK economic growth (GDP) stood at 0.7%, which was unrevised from the previous estimate. Household disposable income fell by 0.4%, however consumer spending continues to be a key driver for UK growth.
CPI inflation in the UK stood at 2.3% in February 2017 – up from 1.8% in January. This is the first time since November 2013 that inflation has been above the Bank of England’s 2% inflation target.
The Federal Reserve has increased US interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to a target range of between 0.75% and 1%. This is the second time in three months that the US central bank has raised rates. If the US monetary policy continues to tighten, this will increase the downward pressure on sterling, which is likely to push UK inflation higher.
The B1149 Holt Road will be closed from 7pm on Monday 5 December, reopening no later than 6am on Tuesday 6 December, to allow Anglian Water to complete a water main diversion at the site of the new Drayton Lane roundabout.
Access in and out of Horsford at the southern end of the village will be via Church Street and the A140 Cromer Road.
The overnight closure will allow Anglian Water to complete a water main diversion that was suspended on 18 November when excavations found the pipe to be too far under the road for the work to continue under temporary traffic lights.
On Buxton Road full-time temporary traffic lights are likely to stay in place for the next two weeks to allow the diversion of a gas main.
Temporary lights or stop/go boards are likely to be used as needed on a number of other roads crossing the NDR.
Three roundabouts towards the western end are nearing completion. Once work has finished the speed limits on the A1067 Fakenham Road, Fir Covert Road and Reepham Road will be reviewed.
The Engaging People Company has been set up by Michelle Gant to transform employee and customer engagement and increase satisfaction. Our focus is on helping companies to be people satisfaction-centred as this has a direct correlation to business success: happy employees will feel empowered and enthused to deliver an organisation’s business objectives – which leads to happy customers.
The Engaging People Company provides engagement services all in one place. This includes developing and delivering bespoke strategies for engagement, communications and wellbeing, providing targeted facilitation and coaching, PR and media relations, and writing. The Engaging People Company is able to identify the drivers of dissatisfaction, and develop plans and deliver activities to transform this discontentment into satisfaction.
As the name suggests, we are engaging people and we work closely with our clients to truly understand their needs and respond to these in a way which aligns with their organisational values. And in everything we do, we live by our own values. We are authentic, we work creatively, we have fun doing what we do – and we always show kindness: we truly care about others, and ourselves.
We are well placed to do what we do. Michelle has extensive experience in engagement, communications, coaching, facilitation and as a prolific writer. Most recently she was employed as Director of Engagement with a not for profit housing provider, establishing their approach to engagement. Michelle believes in the importance of coaching for people development and is an experienced and qualified coach. She has vast experience of facilitating a wide array of meetings and events. Michelle is also a writer and contributes to a variety of communication channels, including The Huffington Post.
The Engaging People Company has joined the Chamber of Commerce to access knowledge and learning and to connect with other organisations in a supportive and proactive way. We are keen to tap into the Chamber’s extensive expertise and networks.
Similar to last year, Lulu Hypermarkets, a large UAE based supermarket,are looking for new British products for showcasing at their Best of British Festival in April this year.
Lulu puts on a Best of British Festival every year, which runs for 10 days usually in April or May. During the festival they showcase and highlight all the British brands they already stock, along with new products which they procure just for this festival. Depending on sales/demand, those new products then get an opportunity to continue supplying to Lulu even after the festival.
Last year, 100+ UK companies were introduced to them, out of which they selected products of 18 companies which were showcased at their festival. They are now placing regular orders with a handful of those 18 companies.
The plan is similar for this year’s festival. They want us to source out new UK companies, which they haven’t dealt with before, to get their products stocked at Lulu Hypermarkets in time for the festival.
Below is the criteria you would need to meet:
Categories interested: free from products, organic, healthy foods Type of companies: manufacturers only – no consolidators, distributors or any other intermediaries Note: Companies shouldn’t be already supplying to Lulu Hypermarkets in Dubai (either via Y International, other consolidators or UAE distributors).
If you wish to put your name forward forthis great opportunity, please send us an email. Deadline for all applications is 31 January 2017.
Norwich City Council have released their latest economic barometer. The report highlighted:
Locally
Norwich based Topic Biosciences have secured a £60,000 Eastern Agri-Tech Growth Initiative grant to develop new varieties of coffee plant at Norwich Research Park
According to a ManpowerGroup survey, employers in the East of England are ‘most likely to hire’ for the second quarter running
Business activity at firms in the East of England grew at a slower rate, although firms are still more optimistic about their growth prospects in the coming year
Average house price in Norwich grew by 0.4%. the average house price in Norwich currently stands at £192,080
Nationally
UK construction sector growth slowed in March, led by a weaker rise in residential building activity
The UK manufacturing sector had a solid finish to the first quarter. The boost to export competitiveness from the weak sterling exchange rate contributed to this
Britain’s retailers saw falling sales in March, according the BRC, takings were down by 1%
According to the ONS, average weekly earnings for employees rose by 2.3%, including bonuses, when compared with a year earlier
With Brexit now seeming more like a reality, everyone is taking their turn to spell out their demands to the Government negotiators with the latest being a joint approach by organisations representing farmers, food and drink manufacturers and retailers.
They want the UK to adopt an approach to Brexit negotiations that will ensure stability and continuity for agri-food and drink businesses.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC), the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) set out seven priorities for the food supply chain in the UK’s post-Brexit trade regime.
They are calling for a smooth and orderly Brexit, with transitional arrangements aimed at maintaining frictionless trade in goods between the UK and the EU, avoiding costly and disruptive customs checks, processes and procedures.
A bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) should be negotiated with the EU, their joint statement says, delivering two-way tariff-free trade.
The UK should also establish itself as an independent member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), thereby providing continuity and predictability by adopting the EU’s current schedule of Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) bound tariff rates.
Benefits for UK traders of existing EU preferential trade arrangements should be secured, including the UK’s “fair share” of tariff rate quotas for agricultural imports and any preferential access for UK food and drink exports – at least until they can be replaced with better arrangements.
Once the terms of the UK’s future trading relations with the EU are clear, the statement goes on, the Government should engage in formal trade negotiations with non-EU countries.
Attention should also be given to establishing co-operation with these countries on regulatory equivalence and ensuring that all new trade agreements consider differences in regulations and standards when market access is negotiated.
In addition, the BRC, NFU and FDF want interested parties to be consulted and detailed economic impact assessments undertaken when future trade negotiations start and before any deals are agreed.