Chamber News

Businesses around the Norfolk are being urged to make use of a £2500 voucher for gigabit broadband speeds before the scheme closes due to high demand.

The Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme has already helped more than 7000 UK businesses and surrounding homes, who have used the vouchers to contribute to (and in many cases fully fund) the installation cost of a full fibre gigabit capable connection.

The £67 million scheme was initially expected to run until March 2021, but high demand for vouchers means that funds are now expected to be committed a year earlier, and perhaps even sooner if the current success of the scheme continues to grow. To date, demand for the scheme has been strongest in the South West, followed by the South East, Yorkshire and the North West.

Minister for Digital Margot James said:

“Our modern Industrial Strategy is clear on the importance of connectivity, as we build a full fibre Britain that is fit for the future. These vouchers provide practical and immediate help to firms struggling with slow broadband speeds.I encourage small businesses around the UK to apply now. “

To ensure as many businesses and homes benefit, the maximum value of the voucher will be reduced from the current £3000 to £2500 in a move that will encourage neighbouring businesses to “pool” their vouchers.

This will enable the scheme to reach more properties without the need for any additional funding. We expect more than 1000 additional businesses and homes to benefit as a result of this change.

DCMS will be carefully monitoring take-up following this change to the scheme rules to determine whether there are locations in which a higher voucher value would be justified.

The scheme is part of a series of Government initiatives to build a Britain with nationwide full fibre broadband coverage by 2033, making sure no communities are left behind. In addition to the voucher scheme, the Chancellor recently announced £200 million for an ‘outside-in’ approach that will see full fibre broadband rolled out in the hardest to reach rural locations at the same pace as the rest of the country. The Borderlands, Cornwall, and Welsh valleys will be amongst the first areas to be targeted.

Click here for more information on the Gigabit Voucher Scheme, including details on how you can apply

Commenting on the announcement from the Prime Minister that the Cabinet has backed the draft Withdrawal Agreement and the political declaration on the future relationship between the UK and the EU27, Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber, said:

“Norfolk businesses will recognise the huge efforts made by the Prime Minister and across government to reach this milestone. 

“With people’s livelihoods and the future prospects for many companies in the balance, this is not the time for snap judgments. Businesses will be looking carefully and deliberately at the real-world implications of this agreement over the coming days, and expect their elected representatives to do the same. 

“After two and half years of uncertainty, this may be end of the beginning – but not yet the beginning of the end. Firms in our region need clarity and precision on the specific terms of trade they will face in future, many of which are still to be agreed. The avoidance of sudden or multiple changes to trading conditions is crucial to business investment and confidence.  

“Our priority will be to assess the implications of these proposals, working closely with the British Chambers of Commerce and all the Chamber business communities across Norfolk and the UK.”

To help local businesses to understand and prepare for Brexit, there are several tools that may provide insight and support:

• Business Brexit Checklist – this has been updated to take into account the draft Withdrawal Agreement
• Withdrawal Agreement FAQs

Norfolk Chamber is actively seeking comment for business about the draft Withdrawal Agreement.  How much do you feel you understand the detail of the proposed Withdrawal Agreement? Does it give your business sufficient clarity and precision to plan for the future?  Tell us what you think by email on: [email protected]

Norwich School has been awarded Norfolk Chamber’s highest level of their Young Chamber Enterprise Recognition Award. 

The Chamber’s Young Chamber Enterprise Recognition Award is an award recognising and celebrating education establishments in Norfolk that are committed to improving the employability skills of young people in our region.

Bearers of this award will have evidenced a clear understanding of the local business needs and will be working to equip students with the necessary skills as well as creating opportunities for students to engage with local organisations.  An education establishment with the ‘Commended’ Gold Tick will have shown the most commitment to student employability outcomes and has gone above and beyond in delivering a culture of enterprise.

Norwich School were able to show their commitment to enterprise engagement across the life of their students.  The Young Chamber judges were particularly impressed with the sustainable and focussed programmes that were in place to encourage students to consider their future opportunities in the world of business, which is why they awarded the ‘Commended’ level.

Norwich School is delighted to be ‘Commended’ in the Enterprise Recognition Award. Tom White, Head of Economics and Business Enterprise said:

“We’re very pleased to receive this award as it is the outcome of a sustained team effort. Norwich School approaches enterprise education from a wide angle. My colleagues have carefully put together a curriculum that is rich with work experience, community service, careers fairs and enterprise activity days. We have the active support of governors, parents and local business enhancing what we can offer in school. I am grateful to all the mentors, advisors and business people who have contributed to this success.

“The Enterprise Recognition Award also highlights the high level of engagement we see from our pupils. In the classroom and their clubs, societies, competitions and Young Enterprise companies, our pupils show a commitment to enterprise. They are frequently resilient, creative, dynamic and entrepreneurial. Congratulations on their achievements.”

Presenting the award, Glyndwr Thomas, Finance Business Partner at Aviva and Board member of Norfolk Chamber’s Young Chamber Board said:

“Recognising Norwich School with this award is fully deserved.  Their commitment to embedding an enterprise approach is admirable and the evidence of the positive outcomes this creates is particularly encouraging.  Giving our young people the skills and the opportunities to work with businesses and to prepare them for the world of work is critical to the success of Norfolk enterprise.”

Nova Fairbank, Head of Policy, Governance and Public Affairs and a member of the Young Chamber Board said:

“One of Norfolk Chamber’s key priorities is helping to bridge the gap between business and education.  Our Young Chamber programme is designed to help create stronger business engagement with schools and support the raising of young people’s aspirations and soft skills. 

“We are delighted to be able to award ‘Commended’ status to Norwich School.  They have an active agenda of engagement with the local business community and are very proactive in ensuring their students have access to business engagement opportunities, such as supporting Norfolk Chamber in the delivery of our B2B event, as well as running their own Young Chamber group, where the students deliver their own business breakfasts.”

Norwich School is particularly keen to help support other schools to achieve an Enterprise Recognition Award, commenting on this, Nicola Hill, Assistant Head said:

“We would be delighted to talk with any school who would be looking to put themselves forward for this award in the future – we worked together with many colleagues in our own school to put ours together and would enjoy helping other schools to do the same.”

The Chamber’s Enterprise Recognition Award is open to any school in Norfolk and is free to enter.  The award aims to provide a platform to not only to recognise the work already happening within education, but to create a springboard for new relationships between businesses and education.

Commenting on the labour market figures for November 2018, published today by the ONS, Nova Fairbank, Head of Policy, Governance & Public Affairs said:

“The slight increase in the unemployment rate suggests that the UK jobs market may be starting to falter under the weight of persistent Brexit uncertainty and chronic skills shortages. While the number of people in work remains close to historic highs, the research from the British Chambers of Commerce confirms that there has been a significant deterioration in the share of firms looking to recruit, which if sustained could increasingly impact on employment growth.

“While wage growth increased again, recent improvements largely reflect a number of temporary factors, including the continued rise in actual hours worked. Productivity dropped in the quarter, to achieve sustained real wage growth the longstanding issues that undermine the UK’s productivity need to be addressed.  

“There is clear evidence of a deep-rooted skills gap across the UK which is constraining business growth. To plug skills shortages, the government must deliver a post-Brexit migration system that enables access to the skills needed at all levels to help grow our economy.”

Last week two of our favourite colleagues got engaged!

We are super happy for Sam and Jack. Sam and Jack both started working at the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce back in 2013 as apprentices. As many of you will know they have both flourished in their careers since then. Jack is now the IT and Data Manager and Sam is the Conference and Events Manager, they are both key members of the team who contribute to a whole range of Chamber of activities.

We wish them well and can’t wait for the big day!!

On Thursday 8th November we were at The Boathouse in Ormesby, an absolutely beautiful venue with stunning views over the broads. It was a bright morning and everyone was in good spirits, especially once the speakers were underway.

We were lucky enough to have two speakers join us for the morning: Mark Cazaly, Public Affairs Manager at The Post Office; and Jon Holder, the Peak Performance Coach.

Mark spoke about how the Post Office supports businesses banking needs through being part of a wide network that have long opening hours and work with most high street banks. Jon brought some much needed post-breakfast energy to the room through his unique approach. Firstly delegates had to greet each other in a low energy way, this was gradually amped up until people were “high tenning” each other and laughing away. His main aim was to highlight how you approach the day has a real impact on your own experience but also other people.

This was certainly not your typical stuffy business breakfast and we certainly enjoyed ourselves, judging by the smiling faces around the room so did all the delegates too!

East Coast Hospice were our feature charity, they are fundraising to build a ten-bed palliative care facility with day care and complementary therapies for the people of Great Yarmouth & Waveney. They currently have planning permission on the 7.54 acres of land they own and the hospice will provide specialist end of life care as well as supporting and training other agencies and carers.

You can find out more about our feature charity and speakers below: Mark Cazaly – The Post Office Jon Holder East Coast Hospice  

Last Friday evening saw Norfolk Chamber successfully deliver a fabulous West Norfolk Chamber President’s charity dinner at the Town Hall in King’s Lynn.

The black tie event was held in aid of the Mayor of King’s Lynn, Nick Daubney’s favoured charity, The Purfleet Trust, as well as another local charity, Festival Too. 

Nearly sixty local business people attended the event and were privileged to hear from the guest speaker, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, explorer, fundraiser, author and public speaker.  Sir Ranulph is described by The Guinness Book of Records as “the world’s greatest living explorer”, he is the only man alive ever to have travelled around the Earth’s circumpolar surface.

Local businesses donated some amazing raffle prizes and on the night, the raffle alone raised £560 for the nominated charities.  The total of the money raised is still being finalised, but is expected to exceed £2,500.

Hosting the event, the West Norfolk President, Michael Baldwin said:

“It was an honour to host both the Mayor and Sir Ranulph Fiennes.  I was pleased to see so many local businesses supporting an event that brought the business community together to raise money for such worthy causes.  We view this event as a starting point to engage with more of the local business community.  Ultimately by working together, we can give a stronger voice to the issues that matter the most in West Norfolk.”

Following the event, Michael Baldwin, West Norfolk President and Chris Sargisson, Norfolk Chamber’s Chief Executive also signed the Love West Norfolk pledge.

Gnaw adds the deliciousness and fun into chocolate, with cheeky additions added to their chocolate such as love heart and banana splits sweets. Started back in 2011, the brand and business have grown strength to strength, with the recent success of several awards such as being selected as a finalist in the Norfolk Business Awards 2018 and Finalists in the UK Packaging awards 2018.  With the addition of the British Chamber of Commerce Awards, 2018 has certainly been their award Gnawyear! 

Starting with supplying their product within the region, Gnaw has now grown extensively, with a strong partnership and trade in France, and a number of other European countries. However, their export does not stop in Europe! They now export globally to Russia and Asia. Praised by the British Chamber of Commerce Judges for having a ‘100% commitment to international trade and with their innovation and locally sourced products are a great advocate for UK produced goods.’  

Winning the BCC regional awards requires meeting several key criteria for the Regional Export Business of the Year, details are below;

•    The level of exports when compared to the size and sector of the organisation

•    The barriers that have been overcome e.g. languages

•    The degree to which products/services are new and market non-traditional

•    Innovative approaches to establishing and entering new markets.

As the winner of the Regional Small Business of the Year award (Yes, two awards!! Hurray!). Gnaw was commended and highlighted for their progressive knowledge by the BCC Judges for ‘spotting the trends in the marketplace, this forward-thinking company developed a new innovative range.’

 They were also highlighted for their progressive approach with the launch of their healthy ingredient’s bars. The Judges work with the guidelines below to judge each submission. 

The judges will be looking at:

•     What differentiates the company’s products/services from their competitors

•     Strong managerial and financial performance

•     Innovation

•     Potential for growth

•     Evidence of the business’s commitment to staff

It is clear Gnaw have worked very hard to achieve these awards. The Norfolk Chamber of Commerce is delighted for Gnaw and we wish them all the best in the next stage of the completion. https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/events/chamber-awards

Commenting on the first estimate of GDP for Q3 2018, published today by the ONS, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said

“While the pick-up in GDP growth in the third quarter is welcome, the stronger headline figure masks a loss of momentum through the quarter from the particularly strong July outturn, when a number of temporary factors, including the heatwave and the World Cup, boosted activity. 

“The services and construction sectors were the strongest performers in the quarter, reflecting a boost in activity from the exceptionally hot summer. The fall in business investment is a concern as it stifles productivity and growth. However, measures such as the increase in the Annual Investment Allowance announced in the Budget should provide a lift to investment over the near term.

“It remains likely that the stronger growth recorded in the third quarter is a one-off for the UK economy, with persistent Brexit uncertainty and the financial squeeze on consumers and businesses likely to weigh increasingly on economic activity in the coming quarters.

“Against this backdrop, the Bank of England’s recent hawkish rhetoric looks a little misguided and risks a further weakening in business and consumer confidence. With inflation on a downward trajectory and the UK’s growth outlook subdued, there remains sufficient scope for the central bank to keep interest rates on hold for some time yet. To ease the extent of current uncertainty, the government must deliver a comprehensive Brexit deal that gives firms the clarity and precision they need.”

Norwich City Council have released their latest economic barometer. The report highlighted:

Locally

• Business activity in the East of England picked up to a 6 month high in August due to a strong order book
• UEA has been ranked a top 15 university in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019 for 3rd year running
• Lotus has unveiled plans for a new multi-million pound expansion which aims to transform its Hethel site into a global destination for fans
• During August the average house price grew by 1.2% in Norwich and by 0.2% in England compared to July

Nationally

• UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 0.7 per cent in the 3 months to August 2018 with all 3 main sectors contributing positively
• UK productivity grew in the second quarter this year, though is behind rates achieved before the global financial crisis in 2008
• The UK can expect low economic growth for the next 3 years
• Estimated average weekly earnings in real terms increased by 0.7% compared with a year earlier

For full details of the latest economic barometer click here.

Tech Nation has launched a great new set of awards. This competition is an exciting opportunity for innovative, early-stage tech start-ups. To find out more and be part of this great chance click here

The prizes include for winner;

Tailored/bespoke package of support worth over £4000 per winner that includes:

• 1-2-1 mentoring with a high profile mentor
• Facilitated introductions to investors and corporates
• Bespoke PR campaign
• One-to-one BDODrive Accelerate session focused on unlocking your growth potential and identifying the tangible steps you need to take
• Financial contribution towards a conference of your choice
• Pitch training and coaching
• Networking opportunities with investors, heads of accelerators, entrepreneurs and corporate leaders

 The Deadline is Sunday 18 November

The Greater Norwich Development Partnership, a collaboration between Norwich, Broadland and South Norfolk’s councils, is in the process of piecing together a new local plan for the area.

Earlier this year, 562 submissions were mooted in the first phase of establishing the blueprint for development over the next 18 years.

The current phase has seen an additional 202 possible sites put forward, which are now open for public consultation.  Suggestions include a wide variety of residential developments across the region; industrial/warehousing site at Attlebridge, housing and employment site at Honingham and a potential Garden Village off Silfield Road.

The overall plan is being put together to help Norwich City, Broadland and South Norfolk councils establish how they could shape development in the area in the coming years.

Stuart Vincent, Chairman of the Greater Norwich Development Partnership – which represents all three councils, said: “This is a further chance for people to have their say before a draft plan is put forward for consultation next year.  The more people who contribute, the better the plan will reflect the views of people who live, work and run businesses here.”

There is still time to have your say as the consultation, is open until Friday, 14 December.  It can be found on the Greater Norwich Local Plan website.