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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

A summit which brought together leading businesses, public sector organisations with mobile network operators and their trade body has been hailed as a good first step in identifying and addressing the problem of mobile not-spots across the eastern region.

Held in the Guineas suite at Newmarket Racecourses, the ‘by invitation’ summit was hosted by Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk Chambers of Commerce and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) – the first of its kind under the latter’s nationwide ‘No More Not-Spots’ campaign.

The campaign aims to mobilise everybody with a role to play in improving our digital infrastructure – from network operators to local planning authorities and consumers themselves – to identify and address poor or non-existent mobile voice and data coverage. The initial stage of the campaign has identified over 1500 not-spots across the UK with nearly 400 of these located in the East of England.

Delegates heard speeches from Rt. Hon Matt Hancock MP, the current secretary of state for Health and the previous secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Hannah Essex, co-executive director of policy & campaigns at the BCC, Mobile UK’s head of policy & communications, Gareth Elliott and Geoff Connell, head of IMT at Norfolk County Council.

These speakers outlined the impact on businesses of poor or non-existent mobile coverage, the level of investment being expended to address the problem and proven ways of working in partnership to more rapidly identify and solve not-spot issues.

The delegates also engaged in roundtable discussions to look in detail as to how businesses themselves, local planning authorities and the mobile operators can address specific not-spots in future months.

Chris Sargisson, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive, said:

“This was a very positive summit that allowed suppliers and customers to come together and start identifying areas of common concern – and possible solutions.

“Mobile not-spots are a barrier to doing good business and the East of England seems to be especially affected. In Norfolk, key areas identified so far are: Hunstanton; areas along the A47; around the A11/A47 Thickthorn junction; Wells-Next-to-the-Sea; and Hingham.  In short, this summit points the way to collaboratively working together to deal with these issues.”

Norfolk Chamber is working with the BCC to pull together the ideas from the summit into an action plan of improvements over the next year.  but we still need more people to log their Not Spots: Click here to log your not-spots

Founded by Ali Clabburn back in 1998, Liftshare has grown in strength from its early days back in Bristol. Liftshare is a national company based in Norwich and employs over twenty people. Focused on a sharing economy, and having a positive impact on the environment, it’s heart is certainly in the right place.

As a company Liftshare’s foundations are based on several highly successful fundamentals such as creating new communities, fewer cars on the road, reduction in CO2 emissions, saving money and of course making new friends for your Christmas card list too- that’s a fact!

 A large part of the company’s provision is also ‘Liftshare for work,’ which supports about 700 businesses nationally to get their staff safely to work, through creating a successful environment for sharing. This offers the wider benefits for each business, their staff, and employers, such as a reduction in parking and demands for parking too, corporate social responsibility, staff’s wellbeing, and financial savings too.

As an employer, Liftshare has a growing staff team, so winning the Regional East of England Employer of Year reflects the Liftshare’s commitment to its own staff. Praised by the BCC Judges for ‘building a culture where staff are 100% committed and happy, which in turn continues to enhance the growth of Liftshare.’  This clearly reflects that Liftshare is on the right tracks.

Selected as the Regional winner of Employer of Year, Liftshare met all the BCC Judges criteria below;

•    Why learning and development is important to the organisation

•    How training needs and skills requirements are assessed

•    Investment, commitment and support given to staff

•    Direct benefit gained by both individuals and the organisation

Liftshare has clearly been working hard to develop as a successful employer. The Norfolk Chamber of Commerce is thrilled for Liftshare winning this award and we wish them well in the next stage of the completion next week on Thursday 29th November at the Awards Gala Dinner in London. https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/events/chamber-awards

Commenting on the latest votes in Parliament on Brexit, Chris Sargisson, CEO of Norfolk Chamber said:

“Another day lost while the clock is ticking. Government and parliament are still going round in circles when businesses and the public urgently need answers.

“The real-world result of Westminster’s interminable wrangling is market uncertainty, stockpiling, and the diversion of staff, money and investment. For every big-ticket business announcing high-profile Brexit-related decisions, there are many more quietly making the changes they need in order to safeguard their operations in the event of a disorderly Brexit. The net result of this displacement activity and uncertainty is slow but very real damage to the UK economy.

“A messy and disorderly Brexit on 29th March would cause widespread damage to businesses and communities across the country. Neither Government nor many businesses are ready for a no-deal exit in two months’ time, and it must not be allowed to happen by default.”

Chamber members had the opportunity to highlight and discuss the challenges facing the local business community with Clive Lewis, MP for Norwich South on Friday 25 January.

Brexit was the main topic of discussion and the business community’s need for certainty and clarity were clearly highlighted.  Mr Lewis provided an opposition perspective and his opinion as to how he thought Brexit should be delivered for the UK.

Broadband, 5G and overall connectivity were also brought up and Mr Lewis outlined his thoughts on a sustainable economy, that looked to protect our resources and limit climate change.  Improved connectivity would actively link into this agenda. 

Commenting on the meeting, Fiona Ryder, President of Norfolk Chamber said:

“We are really pleased to welcome Clive Lewis to the Norfolk Chamber office to hear from the local business community.  It is important that our MPs understand the needs of business and the Chamber will continue to ensure our members views are hear loud and clear in Westminster.”

Norwich City Council have released their latest economic barometer for the region. Some of the highlights are:

• New data suggests that the UK’s services sector, which accounts for around three-quarters of the economy, grew at its fastest rate since March 2012.
• Norfolk’s hard-hit construction industry may be over the worst of the downturn according to recent figures.
• Start-up businesses across Norfolk and Suffolk could have access to millions of pounds of funds to get them off the ground with the launch of a new initiative.
• Norfolk and Suffolk are to get greater decision making power from government over transport schemes. The two counties will receive £39 million for the four years from April 2015, to be spent on transport schemes costing more than £5 million.
• Norwich-based engineering firm, Tyco Fire & Integrated Solutions, is celebrating a landmark £5 million deal with a Chinese energy company which is equal to a third of its turnover.
• Average house prices in Norfolk grew by 1.1%, making the average house price £144,227 in Norfolk.

Full details of all the above can be found in the attached Norwich Economic Barometer.