Norfolk Chamber recently hosted a roundtable event, in partnership with London Heathrow Airport, involving 16 Norfolk businesses.

The objective of the roundtable was to gather local business representatives together to discuss the opportunities that exist within the Heathrow Airport supply chain and how businesses can be more involved in their future expansion plans.

Heathrow were keen to engage with Norfolk businesses to further understand the business capabilities in our region and hear local views. Discussions centred around the challenges that Norfolk businesses face in joining Heathrow Airport’s supply chain and David Ferroussat, the Infrastructure Procurement Director and Sophie Carter from their Public Affairs Department answered questions about the possible expansion of Heathrow Airport.

Expansion at Heathrow has the potential to create 180,000 jobs and 10,000 apprenticeships. It will allow for 40 additional long haul destinations and more regional connectivity to local airports such as Norwich International Airport.

Should the expansion of Heathrow be agreed next week, the construction period would run from 2020 to 2026. The supply chaincould involve over 8,500 suppliers from large to SME. Heathrow were very keen to identify that there were plenty of opportunities for Norfolk businesses to be included within the supply chain. Any business that wants to be involved canregister on Heathrow’s procurement website – click here for details.

In addition, Heathrow are holding a business summit on Tuesday 08 November and invited businesses to register their interest using the following link:https://www.heathrowbusinesssummit.co.uk/

Discussions also centred around the need for future skills and ensuring that the next generation will be inspired with the support of large infrastructure projects, such as the Heathrow expansion.

Jonathan Cage, President of Norfolk Chamber said:

“It is important that Norfolk businesses, especially SMEs, take advantage of the opportunities that large scale projects such as the expansion of Heathrow could deliver. Whilst a large scale international company is likely to be the lead, there are still plenty of opportunities for Norfolk based companies to subcontract and supply specialist knowledge, skills and demonstrate good use of innovation and technology.”

For many years Norfolk was the forgotten county. To get any investment we had to really fight our corner and in many cases we were unsuccessful.

In recent years this has started to change. The public, private and third sector are working increasing closely together to secure the best possible outcomes for Norfolk’s residents and business community.

Through the partners working together the Chamber has seen many positive changes over recent years including: A11 dualling, NDR, Norwich Cambridge Tech Corridor; investment in our universities and colleges, Kings Lynn Enterprise Zone and the Innovation Centres, to mention just a few.

However there is still a lot to be done and the UK economy is weakening with the prospect for another recession in 2020. We therefore need to ensure that we take every opportunity open to us.

As seen in BCC QES economic surveys, Norfolk businesses are not feeling confident. This is due to current weak trading conditions and uncertainty due in part to the Brexit vote.

This lack of confidence is translating into less financial investment, less job opportunities, a weaker local economy and fewer opportunities for Norfolk’s young people and residents.

However on the whole the business community believe that the Devolution deal on the table could help improve the Norfolk business environment. Suffolk, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Councillors are all voting for the deal, but our Norfolk County Councillors are divided and may stop this happening at the end of November.

As a starting point, the Devolution deal will give us over a 30 year commitment:

• Control over a guaranteed £225m transport budget for the next 4 years.
• £30m funding over 5 years to support the building of new homes across Norfolk and Suffolk
• Over lifetime of deal 200,000 homes are expected to be delivered.
• Control over an existing c£20m annual adult skill fund
• Control of an existing c£2m annual Apprenticeship grant for employers
• Greater control and influence over transport services across Norfolk
• More control and influence over invest and maintenance in key roads
• A commitment to providing superfast broadband and improved phone reception

The Norfolk business community is not naïve. We understand that there are risks involved in the Devolution deal on the table. But they have weighed up the options of our Councillors signing this deal or walking away and we want to see Devolution deal on the table signed.

The Government is very clear that this is the way they will distribute funds in the future, we do not want Norfolk to slide back into invisibility!

If you agree with us, we need you to let your local county councillor know. You can do this by advising us who your councillor is and providing us with your comments. We will then collate all the comments and share them with each councillor. You can find out who your councillor is by going to the following place: https://www.whereilive.norfolk.gov.uk/

More details on devolution can be found on: https://www.eastangliadevo.co.uk/

Norfolk Chamber has launched a new Transport and Infrastructure Group. The aim of the group is to consider all aspects of transport infrastructure that impact on Norfolk businesses being able to grow. They will look to lobby and influence the decision makers to gain improvements for the benefit of business in Norfolk and ensure that the views of business are heard.

Members of the group include Norse, Aviva, Westcotec, Jack Richards & Sons and is chaired by the Chamber President, Jonathan Cage, Managing Director of Create Consulting Engineers.

All agreed that reliability of Norfolk’s transport systems is paramount to all businesses and the group also want to look at how technology will play a key role in the future of transport. Topics to be covered at future meetings include: improvements to the A47; Norwich city connectivity; rail links from both Norwich and King’s Lynn to London; and how to make the most of the A47 and A11 growth corridors.

Jonathan Cage, Managing Director of Create Consulting Engineers said:

“We want to ensure that Norfolk has transport infrastructure that is fit for the 21st century. Journey time reliability, safe roads and fast efficient rail services would enable Norfolk businesses to deliver economic growth and jobs for our region.”

If you have a Norfolk transport or infrastructure issue that you would like the Transport and Infrastructure Group to consider, please email details to: Nova.fairbank@norfolkchamber.co.uk

From opportunities to get more involved in improving your neighbourhood to a proposed increase in council tax, Norwich City Council wants to hear from the local business community.

They are consulting on their budget for 2017-18 and this is your chance to share your views. The survey runs until Sunday 8 January 2017 and any comments received will be considered by councillors when they meet in February 2017 to set the budget.

Have your say now

Representatives from Norfolk Chamber, Norwich BID and Norfolk County Council met this week to share the work that Norwich BID have been doing in relation to mapping the traffic usage around the inner ring road and the centre of Norwich.

The software uses Google Maps and tracks mobile phones and can highlight any traffic issues and congestion. The data is refreshed every 15 minutes and has been in place since the summer. Data is also being added in to account for weather conditions.

Norfolk County will be looking at their own existing data to validate the data that Norwich BID have collected. All parties are looking at ways to work together to make the best use of the data and how it can help improve access into Norwich. Norfolk County Council have agreed to carry out a traffic survey of the inner ring road in Spring 2017.