Commenting on the speech by Ed Miliband on immigration today, Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber, said:
“Ed Miliband is right to say that we cannot close Britain off from the world, and that we need a grown up debate on immigration. But for too long, UK firm including Norfolk have struggled to find the skilled workers they need locally, and in some sectors are forced to recruit from overseas. Employers are concerned about high levels of unemployment, particularly among the young, and want to help local people into work. However, they often find that domestic candidates lack the skills, experience and work ethic they need – it has nothing to do with costs.*
“The government must work together with business to identify skills gaps and to ensure the education system is responsive to the needs of the economy. It should not be about protecting UK workers from foreign competition, but instead we must ensure they are equipped with the right skills to compete with the best in the world.
“Measures to crack down on any businesses that are flouting the rules on national minimum wage are welcome, but it would be wrong to suggest this is a widespread issue. Our members tell us they hire based on skills, not on wages.”
A joint statement has been issued from the leading UK business groups, including BCC on behalf of the Chamber network, CBI, EEF, FSB and the IOD.
“We welcome the fact that the European Council has approved the progression of talks to the discussion of a transition period, and a future trade relationship.
“It is our collective view that the transition period must now be agreed as soon as possible, to give businesses in every region and nation of the UK time to prepare for the future relationship. Further delays to discussions on an EU-UK trade deal could have damaging consequences for business investment and trade, as firms in 2018 review their investment plans and strategies.
“While our members will be particularly pleased that EU citizens currently living and working in the UK now have more clarity, it’s still essential that an unequivocal commitment on their future rights is made whatever the outcome of negotiations.
“We will continue to work with the government to ensure that UK firms can overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that a new trading relationship with the EU and the rest of the world will bring.”
Adam Marshall, Director General, British Chambers of Commerce
Carolyn Fairbairn, Director General, Confederation of British Industry
Stephen Phipson, Chief Executive, EEF
Mike Cherry, National Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses
Stephen Martin, Director General, Institute of Directors
We’re thrilled to become a part of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce – not only are we proudly locally based but we also share the vision of the CoC in inspiring others to improve business performance.
Small business owners of course already know that to stay ahead of the game, spearhead innovation, grow and increase profitability, then you must continually improve your business. Nationally, small businesses also know that staying in good shape is vital – Britain’s 5.5 million SMEs contributed £1.8 trillion to the economy during 2016.
When you set up your business, it’s likely you had a really clear set of objectives: business plan, start-up finance, marketing, premises etc. But when you’ve been trading a year or two and got used to the day-to-day expectations of running your business, you may realise that those initial goals aren’t quite in step with the way you operate now. If you’re involved in the everyday activities your enterprise requires, it can be really tough to find time to stop and work out where you should focus your energies to look for areas where you might improve.
These concerns were at the heart of our thinking when we formulated CneqtDNA – it’s a business diagnostic that helps you make the most of your business. It’s also reassuringly simple to use and takes no longer than 20 minutes out of your day, so you can continue to focus on the other vital tasks on your plate.
Designed by business consultants specifically for small and medium-sized businesses, the CneqtDNA diagnostic uses a carefully crafted question set to highlight areas in which your business could improve. When creating CneqtDNA, our team of business experts focused on the idea of breaking down business activity into the various aspects of running a business from finance and premises to marketing and future vision.
After completing the CneqtDNA diagnostic, you will receive a personal assessment providing you with an overview of every aspect of your business so you can easily see where you could make improvements. In addition, you have the option to take a FREE 15-minute coaching session with an expert to discuss your assessment, identify the vital improvements you could make and formulate further action plans.
We’re really looking forward to working with other members of the Chamber, helping to put in place business improvements that will benefit the local, regional and national economies. We’ve come up with an exclusive offer for the Norfolk CoC, offering specially priced access to CneqtDNA for CoC members. Following the link below and using the discount code “NORFOLKCOC75”, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce members will get £24 off the standard price (all prices plus VAT).
Like the CoC we are passionate about business improvement. Take the first step today to improve your business by completing the CneqtDNA Diagnostic https://www.cneqtdna.com/start-my-business-review
Further details of the UK’s post-Brexit Customs Declaration Service (CDS) have been given by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
CDS is scheduled to be phased in between this August and early 2019 and will replace the existing Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system which processes declarations to facilitate the international movement of goods between the UK and non-EU countries.
From early 2019, all declarations made by businesses importing or exporting goods outside the EU will be made using the CDS.
Initially, the CDS will run alongside CHIEF, in an arrangement that HMRC anticipates will aid the transition to the new service. Importers, exporters and agents will be informed by their software provider when they need to provide the additional information required in order to start making declarations on the CDS.
That additional information will be required for declarations in order to align with the World Customs Organization (WCO) Kyoto Convention, currently being implemented in the UK through the Union Customs Code (UCC).
Businesses will have to supply: an audit trail of previous document IDs; additional party types, such as the buyer and seller; and possible additional commercial references or tracking numbers. There will also be changes between “Header” and “Item” for some data items.
To align UK customs data with international standards, there will need to be other changes, including: location of goods identification; the warehouse type code list; item tax lines; the way customs procedures are quoted and the number of items on a declaration.
For traders importing or exporting goods outside the EU, they or their agent will need to sign into the CDS on the GOV.UK website through a Government Gateway account.
HMRC says that an updated tariff manual will be available in April 2018.
With the deadline fast approaching for businesses to ensure they’re prepared for the changes to data protection, now is the time to make sure you are informed of what the GDPR regulations mean for your business and what changes you need to introduce. With 10 key changes to current data protection regulations being introduced, it is vital that businesses not only understand the principles, but are devising action plans to ensure their compliance.
Having identified that the new regulations mean a watershed moment for the way businesses store data about people, not to mention the amount of miscommunication and scaremongering taking place, Norfolk Chamber have enlisted four GDPR experts to sort the facts from fiction at our morning conference. Over 250 business members are now booked on to the conference on Tuesday 13th March at The Space, Norwich to hear from expert speakers from industries which are likely to be integral, or most affected by the changes.
Along with the opportunity to gain an overview of the steps businesses are advised to take to prepare for the May 25th deadline from the speakers’ presentations, there is also an exhibition where Norfolk businesses can share expertise and experiences to prepare for the GDPR deadline at this high profile conference. If you are interested in having an exhibition stand at the conference, click here.
In line with Norfolk Chamber’s commitment to sharing essential and valuable knowledge to local businesses, we have also created a bi-weekly newsletter that can be sent directly to your inbox. It signposts readers to useful articles, blog pieces written by our speakers, webinars and more, ensuring the transition to GDPR compliance is as simple and straightforward as possible. If you would like to receive our newsletter, please click here to subscribe.
We are also in the process of developing training courses to provide more details on the aspects covered at the conference, going further to help you create a strategy for your journey to GDPR compliance. The courses will be full day sessions aimed at providing an in-depth guide of the principles, detail the ways in which you will need to audit your systems, data and polices. They will also explain how to document your approach and ensure your employees are clued up on the key principles to ensure on-going compliance. If you would like to know more information about these training sessions click here register your interest.
If you would like to join the 250+ Norfolk business members at the GDPR conference, please click here to secure your place.
We’re thrilled to become a part of the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce – not only are we proudly locally based but we also share the vision of the CoC in inspiring others to improve business performance.
Small business owners of course already know that to stay ahead of the game, spearhead innovation, grow and increase profitability, then you must continually improve your business. Nationally, small businesses also know that staying in good shape is vital – Britain’s 5.5 million SMEs contributed £1.8 trillion to the economy during 2016.
When you set up your business, it’s likely you had a really clear set of objectives: business plan, start-up finance, marketing, premises etc. But when you’ve been trading a year or two and got used to the day-to-day expectations of running your business, you may realise that those initial goals aren’t quite in step with the way you operate now. If you’re involved in the everyday activities your enterprise requires, it can be really tough to find time to stop and work out where you should focus your energies to look for areas where you might improve.
These concerns were at the heart of our thinking when we formulated CneqtDNA – it’s a business diagnostic that helps you make the most of your business. It’s also reassuringly simple to use and takes no longer than 20 minutes out of your day, so you can continue to focus on the other vital tasks on your plate.
Designed by business consultants specifically for small and medium-sized businesses, the CneqtDNA diagnostic uses a carefully crafted question set to highlight areas in which your business could improve. When creating CneqtDNA, our team of business experts focused on the idea of breaking down business activity into the various aspects of running a business from finance and premises to marketing and future vision.
After completing the CneqtDNA diagnostic, you will receive a personal assessment providing you with an overview of every aspect of your business so you can easily see where you could make improvements.
In addition, you have the option to take a FREE 15-minute coaching session with an expert to discuss your assessment, identify the vital improvements you could make and formulate further action plans.
We’re really looking forward to working with other members of the Chamber, helping to put in place business improvements that will benefit the local, regional and national economies. We’ve come up with an exclusive offer for the Norfolk CoC, offering specially priced access to CneqtDNA for CoC members. Following the link below and using the discount code “NORFOLKCOC75”, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce members will get
£24 off the standard price (all prices plus VAT).
Like the CoC we are passionate about business improvement. Take the first step today to improve your business by completing the CneqtDNA Diagnostic https://www.cneqtdna.com/start-my-business-review
Growing high-tech & innovative businesses… this project helps you develop & manage relationships with potential business partners, customers & suppliers in in northern France.
The main aims of the project are to :
To support the growth of bilateral France-England trade amongst high-tech and innovative R&D companies
To develop & utilise an online portal of potential English-French business partners
To help strengthen business partnerships between French & English science parks, business centres and technopoles
The project helps to achieve this through supporting your business undertake the practical steps to build relationships with French partners.
Please see below for further information and how to register your interest.
In the last quarter of 2017, the survey results showed that whilst there were many business bright spots across Norfolk and the rest of the UK, the evidence showed that growth and confidence remain subdued overall as we entered the new year. Labour and skills shortages also looked set to be the biggest potential drag anchor on business in 2018.
Now we are in the first quarter of 2018 – how are businesses reacting to the current economic climate? Today (Monday 19 February) is the first day of the fieldwork period for the Q1 Quarterly Economic Survey (QES).
It is more important than ever that as many Norfolk businesses as possible complete the survey.
The QES is the largest independent business survey in the UK and is used by both the Bank of England and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to plan the future of the UK economy. It is also closely watched by the International Monetary Fund.
The balance of firms reporting increased export sales rose from +27 to +31, the lowest since Q4 2016. Export orders remained static +27 to +26. The balance of firms reporting increased domestic sales fell from +19 to +17 and domestic orders rose slightly from +21 to +23
The percentage of manufacturers that attempted to recruit in the last three months remained static at 83%. Of those, 73% had recruitment difficulties. Of these, skilled manual labour was the leading area of recruitment difficulties (79%).
The percentage of manufacturers expecting their prices to increase jumped from 26% to 54%, standing near historic highs. The price of raw materials remaining the key driver, with 80% reporting it as a cause of price pressure (down slightly from the 82% in Q2 and Q3)
Norfolk Services sector:
The balance of firms reporting improved export sales fell slightly from +12 to +8, and whilst orders rose from +2 to +6. Domestic sales rose slightly from +14 +16, and also orders from +6 to +10
The percentage of businesses attempting to recruit remained static at 64%. Of those, the percentage of services firms reporting greater recruitment difficulties rose from 63% to 83%, the highest since records began
The balance of services firms expecting prices to increase, rose considerably from 33% to 49%, the highest since Q3 2008
Commenting on the announcement by the Financial Services Authority that it has found ‘serious failings’ in the sale of financial products to SMEs, John Longworth, Director General at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said.
“The ‘serious failings’ found by the FSA in the sale of interest rate swap products will only damage business’ perception of banks further. Those that feel they are victims of mis-selling must have access to an independent assessment as soon as possible, as business survival may depend on it. Clear guidance and transparent timetables on reaching a judgment should be the bare minimum of any system of redress. “Many businesses look at practices undertaken by some in the financial services industry in disbelief and horror. Relationships between institutions that provide finance and those that receive it must be based on trust. Unfortunately, the revelations of the last week will only erode confidence in the banking system, and it will be a long road back to restore it.
“Lenders will need to do everything possible to rebuild their connections with the business community, so the economy can function in an orderly way again. But trust is hard to earn and easily lost, and a fundamental change in how banks and their business customers interact will not happen overnight. For this reason, the government must do two things to get the economy moving. The first is to breed confidence that wrong-doers will be held to proper account. The second is to create a state-backed business bank that will serve as a trusted source of finance provision. Only then will we see a stable base from which businesses can drive a sustained economic recovery in the UK.”
Set to take place on Friday, July 27, Norfolk Day is an opportunity for the county’s residents and businesses to show how proud they are to live here, and day in which everyone is encouraged to get involved.
Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber is endorsing Norfolk Day, he said: “We need to change the perception of Norfolk. We all know that it is a great place to live and work, but much of the outside world isn’t aware of this. We have a diverse and dynamic business community and we need to do more to shout about our success and potential.
“We have a highly successful insurance and professional services sectors and we are world leaders in food science and agri-tech with the Norwich Research Park and Hethel Engineering. We also have a strong emerging sector in digital/ICT.
“Norfolk should be very proud of our successes to date, but must be much more vocal about what we can achieve. I would urge all Norfolk businesses to get involved with Norfolk Day and show the rest of the world just how good we are!”
To find out more about getting involved on Norfolk Day email: norfolkday@archant.co.uk or tweet @norfolk_day or log onto the Norfolk Day Facebook Group.
The first North Norfolk Business Awards were held last week hosted by Chris Sargisson, chief executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, with seven businesses of all sizes and sectors taking home winners’ trophies.
The victorious seven were:
Agricultural Award -Sands Agricultural Machinery, crop-sprayer manufacturer
Business Development and Innovation Award – Structure-flex, heavy-duty thermoplastic coated technical textiles
Business Growth Award – PSS, steering for trucks, buses, vans and military vehicles
Environment Award – Woodfruits, organic shiitake mushrooms
New Business Award – Amber’s Rose,flower preservation
Tourism and Hospitality Award – Thursford Christmas Spectacular, festive variety show
Young People and Skills Award – Bill Cleyndert & Company, custom-made furniture
The awards were organised by North Norfolk District Council on Thursday 15 February and included a dinner at Gresham’s School.
After the event, NNDC Leader Cllr Tom FitzPatrick said: “One of the main purposes of the awards was to promote the quality and diversity of the district’s business scene.
“If you look at the list of winners it has done just that – businesses large and small; businesses which provide entertainment, specialist services, small scale environmental operations and manufacturing were all included. Many thanks to all those involved with supporting the event, entering the awards and, overall, showing that we have a great deal to celebrate here in North Norfolk in terms of business success and ambition.”
The evening also saw the unveiling of one of the Go Go Hares being supported by North Norfolk District Council for this summer’s Break Charity trails around Norwich and Norfolk. Break representatives attended the awards to speak about the charity, the trails and their gratitude for support from all around the county in setting up the event. The hare revealed, called Something for the Weekend and decorated by artist Anne Schwegmann-Fielding using white, silver and gold crockery, mirror circles and bus shelter glass, will be placed in North Walsham for the opening of the trail in June.
To view all the photos from the business award click here.
Norfolk Chamber today welcomed the decision by Vattenfall to opt for a cabling technology which will reduce the potential impact of the wind farm’s onshore connection between landfall and the National Grid.
Vattenfall, the energy group behind the Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind farm, made the significant design decision to deploy High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cable technology to connect Norfolk Vanguard and its sister project Norfolk Boreas to the UK’s National Grid.
The wind farm developer said today that it has made a strategic decision to back HVDC for its Norfolk wind farms as it believes it will be cost competitive in the early 20’s with HVAC whilst being better for local people and the environment where onshore infrastructure is located.
After eight exhibitions in Norfolk and direct feedback from nearly 800 individuals and organisations, Vattenfall set out its local design decisions in an Interim Consultation Report, published today. This report shows how the views of local people and statutory consultees have influenced the latest design of the offshore wind farm and onshore electrical infrastructure.
The key design decisions include:
Adoption of HVDC transmission connections which will avoid the need for cable relay stations near Happisburgh for Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas
Using HVDC transmission technology means a much narrower cable corridor throughout – offshore and onshore. The 45m wide onshore cable corridor running from landfall near Happisburgh to a substation near Necton, 60km away, allows Vattenfall to avoid sensitive sites including historical heritage, like buried archaeology near St Mary’s Chapel, Kerdiston and a medieval moat north of Necton. (Vattenfall originally used a 100metre corridor in line with HVAC requirements).
Long range horizontal direction drilling (HDD) at landfall near Happisburgh – where power transmission cables from the offshore wind farm come ashore – will avoid impact on the cliffs and mean no works are required on the beach
Due to additional long range HDD, Vattenfall will avoid impact on all county wildlife sites and a number of important local amenity and tourism sites by adding further sections of trenchless crossing. As a result, features like Paston Way, Knapton Cutting, the Marriott’s Way and Wendling Carr will be avoided
Near Necton, the HVDC Norfolk Vanguard substation will be quieter than the HVAC alternative as it will incorporate fewer low-frequency noise emitting components and acoustic insulation. Also, the footprint of the HVDC project substation will not change, but the structure will be enclosed in taller buildings than the HVAC alternative. Vattenfall will work with local residents and groups to minimise the substation’s impact.
Commenting on the decision, Nova Fairbank, Public affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber said:
“Vattenfall’s decision to use HVDC shows that they have truly listened to the feedback they have received from both residents and businesses alike. The Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas offshore wind projects have the potential to deliver skills and local jobs for the future generations both onshore and offshore; together with supply chain opportunities to a diverse range sectors – all of which will help increase economic growth in Norfolk.”
Ruari Lean, Vattenfall’s Project Manager of the Norfolk Vanguard offshore wind farm development, said: “We have listened very carefully to what local people told us about our plans for Norfolk Vanguard. In combination with our strategic review of transmission technology, the concerns raised by local people have influenced our decision to adopt pioneering HVDC infrastructure for Norfolk Vanguard. By backing HVDC technology, we will minimise the impact on people and the environment whilst keeping the cost of electricity down for the British consumer.”
Ruari added: “I would like to thank all of those people and organisations who have set out their hopes and concerns in evidence based feedback about our proposals for Norfolk Vanguard. It has been enormously helpful to us.”
Vattenfall will submit final plans for Norfolk Vanguard to the Planning Inspectorate in June 2018. Norfolk Boreas, also 1.8GW, is following Norfolk Vanguard in the planning process.