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Whilst a speaker at a Norfolk Chamber’s event on 7 November 2013 George Osborne’s announced the creation of a taskforce to deliver the Norwich in 90 rail vision. The campaign was started in 2009 by Norfolk Chamber members and its partners. .

The Norwich in 90 rail vision includes faster, more reliable and more comfortable trains on the Great Eastern main line between Norwich and Ipswich and London.

The Norwich in 90 vision is laid out in “Once in a generation – a rail prospectus for East Anglia” -was produced last year in 2012 by the New Anglia LEP supported by the business community, local authorities, rail user groups and MPs.

Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said: The Norfolk Chamber membership have collectively been lobbying our local MPs and central Government since 2009 so it is great that the Chancellor has recognised the strength of the argument and is now committed to delivering Norwich in 90. The boost that this investment would generate £3.4bn in economic benefits cannot be underestimated.”

Key improvements identified in the East Anglia rail prospectus to deliver Norwich in 90 include:

• New trains to enable faster and more reliable journey times.
• A passing loop north of Chelmsford to increase capacity and overtaking
• opportunities.
• Increased line speeds on sections of the route.End.

Norfolk Chamber members were out in force on 7 November to welcome the Chancellor to Norfolk and to ensure that he was in no doubt as to the potential growth of its business community given the right investment.

As part of the event Chamber members were asked to take part in a text survey to identify their key priorities which will provide the keystone to the Chamber’s priorities in 2014. The clear priority with 34% of the vote was improvements to transport & infrastructure. The Chancellor then heard from Ian Hacon President Norfolk Chamber of Commerce about the Good, the Bad and the Ugly side of Norfolk, who emphasised Norfolk’s potential for growth.

Six Chamber members ranging from rural start-ups to established firms, such as Bernard Matthews and RG Carter, then gave highlights as to what they were particularly excited about relating to their businesses and identified what would help them be even more successful.

It was made clear that Norfolk businesses are at last feeling more confident, but continued to need the support of the Government in key areas. They highlighted how much faster businesses could grow and create jobs with the right infrastructure in place particularly improved broadband and mobile coverage, the railways, NDR and A47.

Young people are Norfolk’s future and Norfolk Chamber members sought assurances that business education would be high on the Government’s agenda.

Ian Hacon, President Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and MD Blue Sky Leisure commented “We were delighted to host a visit from George Osborne, Rt. Hon. Member of Parliament for Tatton and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I would like to think he left Norfolk with a positive view as to what a great county it is to live and work in, and how a relatively small amount of investment in projects and infrastructure could unlock Norfolk’s potential to continue to play its part in the economic growth of the country.”

Caroline Williams, CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said: “The Chancellor can be in no doubt about the innovation and dynamism of the Norfolk business community after today’s visit. We very much welcome his positive comments about Norfolk and its economy and will continue to encourage him to invest in this area in order to maximise the business community’s potential for growth and jobs.”

The Chancellor, George Osborne, in his speech stated that infrastructure investment was a priority for the government, from broadband and education, to road and rail, but that he was “here to listen, and here to learn”.

“We are doing what we can to create a competitive business environment. But we need your input, your thoughts and your ideas about where to take that next because by definition in a global race you cannot stand still.”

The Chancellor went on to outline that he was committed to the delivery of a faster rail service between Norwich and London (known as the Norwich in Ninety campaign). However, as this will take some time to implement, he also committed his support for the upgrading of the rolling stock, such as power points and refurbishment of carriages.

A number of members had the opportunity to ask the Chancellor questions and those not able to be heard due to time restrictions were assured that their questions would be answered after the event.

Brandon Lewis, MP Great Yarmouth who had organised the visit with Norfolk Chamber had to be in Westminster today but said “The Chancellor’s visit to Norfolk today is a real recognition of the economic potential of the area. I am delighted to have been able to help arrange this important visit and that Norfolk Chamber members had this opportunity to tell the Chancellor more about our area and the fantastic businesses that have made their home here. This is the perfect opportunity to signal to the Government that Norfolk is open for business and will be a key player in the UK’s continued economic growth. I shall continue to work closely with government departments to bring cabinet ministers to our area.”

Caroline Williams continued “The Chancellor has made it clear today that he values Norfolk and its business community and want to help us to reach our full potential. It is essential that we work closely together with our local MPs, our LEPs and public sector partners to take advantage of the exciting opportunities we have in Norfolk. The Chancellor has opened the door to communicate with him and his team and we will b ensure that the Norfolk business voice is heard loud and clear.”

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Congratulations are in order for two Great Yarmouth Chamber members, who both had success at the EDP Business Awards last week. More than 300 firms across Norfolk entered this year’s awards – a record number – with 36 finalists competing to win 12 categories.

Blue Sky Leisure was crowned Barclays Business of the Year. Based in Bradwell, near Great Yarmouth, the company, which runs Kelling Heath and Woodhill Park, has been providing holidays in Norfolk for nearly 40 years. It also includes the Zaks American-style diner brand, which this year announced it was using a franchise model to expand beyond Norfolk.

Ian Hacon, Chief Executive Officer said “We’ve been relentless in driving our vision forward. It means that if you visit any one of our holiday parks or go into any of our restaurants or visit and ask our staff what our vision is they will tell you – we are passionate about our people, service and environment – and they will understand the part they play in delivering it. This award demonstrates the strength of businesses involved in Norfolk Chamber and help raise the profile of THE business network.”

Pasta Foods won the International Business of the Year category. Pasta Foods is a world leader in the production of snack pellets and the UK’s leading dry pasta producer. Based in Great Yarmouth, the company has been established for more than 40 years. With a workforce of approximately 130 people they are one of the main employers in the town and export on a worldwide basis.

Karl Jermyn, the Managing Director accepted the award and said “Winning the International Business award is a fantastic achievement for all at Pasta Foods and is testament to all the hard work that the team have put into the business in 2013. We currently export to 35 countries and growth in the business is being led by our overseas customers, particularly in the US where we have quadrupled our customer base in the last year. The company has also won new business in South Korea and Iraq demonstrating we are a truly global exporter.”

• Bank of England Governor, Mark Carney, says the 7% unemployment threshold is likely to be reached earlier than expected
• Bank of England upgrades economic growth for 2013 from 1.4% to 1.6%

Commenting on the November 2013 Inflation Report, issued today by the Bank of England, David Kern, Chief Economist at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said:

“We have supported forward guidance since its introduction, as it helps to underpin business confidence. But we have also always said that the 7% unemployment threshold would be reached long before Q3 2016 as initially forecast. These revisions imply that the threshold is likely to be reached around the first or second quarter of 2015. This is a sign that the UK recovery, although not yet secure, is likely to be stronger than people felt three months ago.

“Governor Carney stressed that reaching the 7% threshold would not necessarily trigger a rise in interest rates, and this leads us to believe that there will be no increase until the end of 2015. This will provide stability for businesses to invest and create jobs. In the meantime, the MPC must continue to combine forward guidance with a commitment to maintaining economic stability.

“We support Governor Carney’s statement that the pressure on living standards can only be addressed when productivity increases. Simply raising wages before this happens would make businesses uncompetitive and threaten the recovery.”

Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, said:

“With the Bank of England now expecting stronger growth this year, the Inflation Report gives us more reason to believe that the upturn in the UK economy is gathering momentum. The improved outlook is testament to the resilience of businesses across Norfolk and the UK in the face of continued economic challenges.

“With the 7% unemployment threshold now likely to be reached earlier, we hope that Mark Carney will continue to reassure the business community that this is simply an indicator and will not automatically trigger an increase in interest rates. Any decision to tighten monetary policy must depend on a lasting improvement in economic conditions.”

Read the Inflation Report in full here:https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/Pages/inflationreport/2013/i…

The British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) is used by the Bank of England and the Chancellor to plan the future of the UK economy and over 7,000 businesses across the UK take part.

Once again, the results from the Q3 2013 showed further evidence that the Norfolk economy was starting to recover, with a strong service sector helping to boost local economic growth.

The Norfolk manufacturing sector, home sales and order strengthened, whilst their exports results showed a slight slow-down and the service sector continued to go from strength to strength in both home sales and orders, as well as exports.

Norfolk Chamber has long-championed the idea that Norfolk businesses have remained confident about their abilities to grow. The QES results show that even more firms now believe they can increase their turnover and sales, and hire more staff, which is a testament to their hard-work, creativity and ambition.

However investment is still a concern, and if Norfolk is to achieve a high productivity, high skill and high wage economy then these areas also need to improve.

Has your business seen the benefit of a recent growth spurt, are you investing in plant and machinery or recruiting more staff? Let us know by taking part in this important economic survey.

The survey takes less than 3 minutes to complete, so please take the time to input into this survey to ensure Norfolk has a voice. The survey needs to be completed online by Monday 2 December 2013

Complete the survey now. Your Chamber ID number is 75

If you prefer a hard copy please print the attached form and fax it back to 01603 633032

Commenting on the report published by the National Audit office today, Infrastructure investment: the impact on consumer bills, Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said:

“The current debate over short-term energy prices is missing the point. Politicians should be worried first and foremost about energy security – because if we can’t keep the lights on, businesses can’t grow and nor can the economy as a whole.

“Companies are concerned about the rising cost of energy. Some, particularly SMEs, are demanding far more information and transparency around the rising energy costs they face, and are sceptical about claims made by their suppliers. All businesses, however, are concerned with whether the UK can generate and distribute the power needed for economic success.

“Westminster politicians are thinking short-term, but Britain’s energy issues are long-term. Energy supply is a question of national prosperity and security, not cheap retail politicking.”

A link to the National Audit Office report can be found here: https://www.nao.org.uk/report/infrastructure-investment-impact-consumer-b…