Guest Article: Steve Grice, UKSE area manager for the Midlands
In this guest article, Steve Grice, UKSE area manager for the Midlands, shares his views on collaborative opportunities in the professional services community across the West Midlands.
It’s a frequent discussion we hear in business circles across the West Midlands that ‘we need to do more to promote ourselves’, writes Steve Grice, Area Manager for business investment specialists UKSE.
Each region across the UK has its strengths, London is seen as a global city whereas other areas from Cornwall to Tyneside and across the UK, may trade off more recognisable identities but as UKSE’s West Midlands team approaches the end of our first year supporting growth, we have been impressed by the positive drive for collaboration within the professional services community in the region.
The relationship among brokers, advisors, and lenders around supporting small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) is alive and well in the West Midlands and we have been encouraged by the support we have received since our launch 12 months ago.
Reflecting with our colleagues in other parts of the country, it seems every UK region has a different ecosystem of professionals, sometimes markedly so. In the West Midlands, we have a real comparative advantage in the strength and depth of our advisor network, working together to find the right solution for the customer.
Despite the challenges out there, my colleague Mike Lowe and I are optimistic that the positive approach taken within our community will add to the greater good as firms look to rebuild from the adversity, they have faced over recent years.
SMEs make up a huge part of the UK economy and have been hit hard through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising interest rates and the cost-of-living crisis. Some businesses are now finding it increasingly difficult to access funding from traditional high street lenders and this is where the role of the broker and professional business community is vital.
Brokers and advisors not only understand how the lender and business relationship works but will have the business specific knowledge to inform decisions, something, we at UKSE value and see an abundance of in the West Midlands, Conversely, if we are approached by a business where we are not the right investor, we would rather match them with a trusted partner who can make the difference.
At UKSE we need and value this kind of relationship. A broker understands the type of businesses we are looking to support and will work closely with us to introduce businesses who meet our criteria.
Despite the positive outlook, the picture across the region is mixed. The latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking suggested that business confidence in the West Midlands rose to 56% in January with top areas for growth including entering new markets (43%) and investing in their team (41%). Whereas the latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) found that although businesses believe were positive about the future, recruitment was one of the biggest challenges firms faced with 57 per cent attempting to recruit, down from 71 per cent in the previous quarter.
We believe that as a region, the professional business community is thriving, with regular networking opportunities and great relationships with brokers who understand what we are looking for. It always helps get a deal over the line when we know all the professionals working for the company – broker, accountant or solicitor.
UKSE offers strategic loan and equity packages of up to £1m to generate growth, create local job opportunities and bolster the economy across Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry, Staffordshire and Shropshire.
Based at our new office in Cannock, UKSE’s new local team have begun engaging with our team to support firms wanting to grow, innovate and bring employment opportunities to the West Midlands.
The West Midlands has a proud heritage for innovation. If the collaborative spirit within the investment sector can continue to make a difference, our region can look forward to more success from the businesses we support.
- To find out more about UKSE, a Tata Steel subsidiary, visit: www.ukse.co.uk
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Big Reputation: Staffordshire’s newest marketing agency launches
Staffordshire, known as the creative county, has welcomed its newest addition to the creative business club.
Big Reputation, a marketing agency dedicated to demystifying marketing for local businesses, have been founded on the principle of simplicity, with an aim to make marketing straightforward. On a mission to support local businesses, Big Reputation offers clear strategies specifically for B2B clients.
Chelsea Spencer, Director of Big Reputation, expressed her pride in the agency’s rapid progress since its inception in October 2023. “Our goal is simple: to help businesses thrive by simplifying marketing,” she stated.
“We’re not just another agency – we’re a partner dedicated to making marketing fun, effective and profitable for everyone.”
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Latest edition of Focus magazine available to read online
Staffordshire Chambers is thrilled to announce the release of the Spring 2024 edition of its highly anticipated Focus magazine, which is now available to read in full online.
On the cover of the latest edition is ‘Maxine Laceby’, the visionary founder of Absolute Collagen who recently appeared as keynote speaker at our International Women’s Day celebrations.
Focus magazine is the official business magazine of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce and, launched in 1952, has a long, proud history in the local business community.
Speaking about the release, Staffordshire Chambers Deputy CEO Chris Plant, said: “We are delighted to present the latest edition of Focus magazine that provides an interesting and insightful read for businesses of all sizes and sectors.
“Focus Magazine’s themed issues provide an in-depth look at issues important to our membership; from environmental sustainability to economic updates and business features. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have!”
Click here to read Focus in full.
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Declan’s Policy Update: Events, events, events!
Last week was a hectic week at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, with the delivery of more flagship events.
During the course of the year, our Events team successfully co-ordinates a programme of more than 200 events. Some of our events bring in truly inspirational guest speakers, others will keep our member businesses informed of local and national developments, whilst others are simply about networking and making those contacts.
On Tuesday, we hosted the ‘Unlocking opportunities for your business: An expert insight into the new Procurement Act’ event. Guest speakers included Martyn Traynor, OBE (Small Business Crown Representative), who explained that there is a desire to make public sector procurement far simpler, which will help to encourage businesses of all sizes to come forward and bid for opportunities. The annual amount spent by the government on goods and services, has now topped £60billion.
The Procurement Bill received Royal Assent last year and The Cabinet Office has suggested a ‘go-live’ date of October 2024. We learned that social value is becoming an increasingly important feature of public sector procurement. Social value is all about being able to demonstrate wider benefit from the award of a government contract. Examples of social value could include creation of apprenticeship schemes for local people in order to deliver a contract, or investing in community groups to upskill local people as part of a technology bid.
We also listened to Liz Barclay, of The Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC), an independent public body set up by Government, to tackle late payment and unfavourable payment practices in the private sector. We were astonished to find that 1/3 of payments to small businesses are late, with an average value of each payment reckoned to be worth £6,142. Around 20% of small businesses have run into cash flow problems, so the devastating impact of late payments is clear to see.
Liz said that she is keen to hear from more businesses who are facing difficulties in getting paid and her services are free to use, on a non-risk basis.
On Wednesday, I joined our first Big Business Breakfast of 2024, at the Bet365 Stadium. This particular event was linked to the theme of ‘Innovative Skills Solutions’. James Timpson OBE, of Timpson Group opened the event in front of a packed audience and shared some of the tactics he has used in finding, attracting and retaining the best talent for his business.
James explained how he has recruited ex-offenders who have gone on to repay his faith in their ability by delivering exceptional performance. He shared some of the ways in which he supports an empowers his staff on a day to day basis. It was inspirational stuff and gave food for thought when it comes to staff recruitment.
Adam Whitehouse of TMT First shared the journey of how his business has grown in size, culminating in the recent launch of the very first Digital Device Repair Technician Apprenticeship, having spotted a gap in the skills market for tech repairs. This will help to build a pipeline of talent, offering more apprenticeship and job opportunities for our school and college leavers.
Perry Smith of Hays discussed the upcoming launch of the 2024 Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Workforce Survey, which offers an insight into local salary levels, helping businesses to benchmark their own salary levels to support with the recruitment and retention of staff. Watch this space for further updates.
Our Head of Business Services Tom Nadin, closed the event with an update on the delivery of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP). Staffordshire Chambers’ of Commerce has been appointed as designated employer representative body for the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LSIP. Since the launch in October 2022, a high volume of activities and data gathering have taken place and good progress continues to take place, connecting businesses and training providers.
On Thursday, I joined a group of Chamber member businesses at Vale Park, when we welcomed Jonathan Reynolds MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade), in an event hosted by British Chambers’ of Commerce Director General, Shevaun Haviland. Mr Reynolds announced some of the Labour Party’s ambitions for small businesses and he was quizzed by the audience on a diverse range of topics, including energy, taxation, exporting and land value capture.
I joined Mr Reynolds on a visit to Synectics Solutions, whose premises are just a free kick from Vale Park. Synectics has been harnessing data in order to deliver effective and innovative fraud prevention solutions. The company is a great success story, having grown exponentially since it started life in 1992. After completing a very impressive site tour, we headed back to Vale Park where Mr Reynolds held a round table meeting with our Patron members.
If you would like information on any of the above events, please get in touch:
- Published in Influence & Network
Chris’ Blog: A brilliant Teapot Tour, Keele University MBA plans and an excellent talk from James Timpson OBEChris’ Blog:
Yesterday was the latest instalment of the Teapot Tour series, hosted by Protectapet’s Simon Davis, who is on a mission to create a new passion for the Potteries.
We started at Stoke Station, exploring the Etruia Valley on the way to Middleport, guided by local heritage podcaster Jenna Goodwin.
It was, as these tours always are, a fantastic event that really highlighted Staffordshire’s rich heritage – which included the only surviving section of Josiah Wedgewood’s original factory, the Etruria Industrial Museum as well as the former Shelton Bar steelworks site.
‘Manchester Unspun’ author Andy Spinoza shared brilliant insights from the regenerations of some of the industrial heritage sites over at Manchester. Some real food for thought!
Simon has now launched The Teapot Factory CIC, a community interest company, to take on key projects breathing new life into industrial heritage sites. Looking forward to hearing more about this as it continues to gather momentum.
You may have seen on our social media channels that we welcomed the visionary CEO of the Timpson Group, James Timpson OBE to Staffordshire on Wednesday to share some of the secret tactics he uses to hire and retain the best talent for his business.
James shared some fantastic insights around skills – an issue that is constantly flagged as a major concern for businesses during our lobbying work.
James was also joined by award-winning entrepreneur Adam Whitehouse and Perry Smith of Hays, who both shared unique perspectives into apprentices and salary levels.
Thanks to all three speakers for joining us on the day.
We were also delighted to announce that the next event in our Big Business Breakfast series which will be “Economic Insights: Positioning Your Business for Success,” where we’ll delve into the dynamic landscape of politics, economics and banking to equip your business for strategic success.
Joining us for the event will be keynote speaker Vicky Pryce, Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, who will offer invaluable insights into the economic environment, shedding light on challenges businesses face and what lies ahead.
Book your space to join us on 26 June, here.
On Tuesday we welcomed Colin Rigby, Director of Enterprise at Keele University and Dr. Griff Round to Commerce House to discuss increased business engagement within the full-time MBA offered by Keele Business School.
We had some great discussions centred around the involvement of a different business within each module of the MBA to help inform its curriculum and assessment.
Hopefully this would make for a compelling proposition for both students and organisations.
Finally – today is the last day that Staffordshire businesses can submit a free Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards application.
They take 10 minutes and could unlock a range of new opportunities for your business. What have you got to lose?
Submit your free application, here.
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Staffordshire Chambers’ International Trade experts to help guide businesses through new CBAM legislation
Businesses that import goods into the UK are set to be subject to a new CBAM levy that will place a carbon price on some of the most emission-intensive industrial goods that enter the country.
The UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism – or CBAM – will be effective by 2027, and targets goods from countries with a lower or no carbon price. It’s hoped that the move will ensure products from overseas face a comparable carbon price to those produced in the UK.
Businesses in the aluminium, cement, ceramics, fertiliser, glass, hydrogen, iron and steel sectors will be most impacted by these changes.
Now, experts from Staffordshire Chambers’ International Trade team are supporting businesses who have questions about what the CBAM legislation means for them.
Staffordshire Chambers International Trade Centre Manager, Allison Tomlinson, said: “The liability applied by the CBAM will depend on the greenhouse gas emissions intensity of the imported good and the gap between the carbon price applied in the country of origin – if any – and the carbon price that would have been applied had the good been produced in the UK.
“It’s hoped that the legislation will help to tackle ‘carbon leakage’ – which is the movement of production and associated emissions from one country to another due to different levels of decarbonisation effort through carbon pricing and climate regulation.
“Businesses understandably have lots of questions about CBAM and are able to contact the team here directly if they need support.”
Businesses can email allison.tomlinson@staffordshirechambers.co.uk for support with their enquiries.
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Declan’s Policy Blog: Mind the (gender) gap!
Last week, our Employment, Skills and HR forum received a very informative update on gender equality from Helen Bailey, Head of Learning and Development at Strategi Solutions.
Helen reviewed a summary of gender employment by sector. The top three sectors of employment for women, are ‘Health and social work’, ‘Wholesale and retail’ and ‘Education’.
When it comes to higher paying occupations, a study from October 2022 to September 2023 indicated that there is still a majority of males in roles such as ‘Managers, directors and senior officials’ or ‘Professional occupations’, compared to their female counterparts.
Helen’s update also looked at reasons for economic inactivity. When it comes to those looking after family or the home, this role is four times more likely to be filled by a woman than by a man.
PWC recently published a Women in Work Index, which found that whilst women’s participation in labour markets is increasing, they continue to face pay disparities compared to men. The gender pay gap widened between 2021 and 2022 in 20 of the 33 OECD countries. This includes the UK, which experienced the largest annual drop in the PWC Index of any OECD country, dropping four places from 13th to 17th place and with a gender pay gap estimated to be a whopping 14.5%.
Helen explained the many benefits of a gender balanced workforce. Studies by CMI suggest that ccompanies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to experience above-average profitability and that organisations with greater gender diversity are 1.4 times more likely to have sustained, profitable growth.
It’s barely a week since International Women’s Day, which celebrates the achievement of women and raises awareness about discrimination. It’s clear that more needs to be done if we are to narrow the gender gap. What practical measures can your business adopt, in order to close the gender gap?
How about promoting greater women’s representation at board level and development of clear and transparent parental and health policies, along with a work life balance policy. When it comes to recruitment practise, businesses can look at using inclusive recruitment initiatives and having longer shortlists for job vacancies. Any job adverts and job descriptions should include a gender decoder.
Other practical measures can include dedicated focus to close the gender pay gap and creation of a more inclusive workplace culture, to eradicate microaggressions in the workplace.
In 2015, the United Nations launched its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), encouraging the world community ‘to mobilise efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind’. A total of 17 SDG were developed, one of which (‘SDG # 5 ‘Gender Equality’) calls for greater gender equality.
Staffordshire Chambers’ of Commerce is proud to be a UN SDG Ambassador and we hope that more Staffordshire businesses will join us in showing their commitment to the Global Goals and the action that they’re already taking to combat major global challenges including climate change, gender inequality and poverty.
If you would like to join our Employment, Skills and HR forum and join the debate on how to develop a more inclusive and representative workforce, please contact: declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
- Published in Influence & Network
Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID unveils Ambitious ‘Operation Sparkle’ efforts for 2024
Stoke-on-Trent City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) has announced the return of its Operation Sparkle initiative, which will be entering its fourth year of action.
The ongoing project is set to target cleaning up the city centre, aiming to considerably improve the look and feel of the area. From graffiti removal and litter clearance, to landscaping, painting and jet washing, the operation for 2024 has the most ambitious goals to date.
Alongside the BID’s ongoing commitment to shape a safer and cleaner environment, Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been awarded UK Shared Prosperity Funding to support two new roles within the BID, including an Environmental Ambassador.
This Ambassador holds responsibility for hygiene and cleanliness in the city centre, working alongside the City Council’s street cleansing team to make a substantial positive impact on the environment.
Whilst the Operation Sparkle initiative takes place throughout the year, it is set to launch in Spring 2024 with an annual ‘Big Spring Clean’ on 12 – 13 April. This dedicated weekend is set to tackle key areas for improvement in the city centre realm, along with volunteers from the public and local business community. The Big Spring Clean in 2023 saw a total of 103 bags of litter collected, over 60 pieces of graffiti removed and several fly tipping instances fully rectified. The initiative has also recently recieved national recognition, awarded ‘Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative’ in the Savills Property Management Marketing Awards 2024.
Lead BID Director for Place Management, Julie Davies OBE said: “The BID is fully aware of issues in the city centre around cleaning and the look and feel of the area.
“We are committed to tackling these issues. We are confident that our collective efforts through Operation Sparkle will achieve our objectives in accordance with one of the businesses priorities. The employment of our Environmental Ambassador will enhance all our efforts which we welcome. We encourage all businesses in the BID area to support and engage Operation Sparkle for the benefit of all.”
Operation Sparkle 2024 is set to target new areas of the city centre, as well as amplify efforts in previous action zones. This includes but is not limited to:
• Clearing and tidying up Etruria Road, including the cutting back of excess trees and overgrowth
• The investigation into a potential reimagining of Bethesda Gardens
• New planters and greenery that will in turn tackle traffic pollution
• Window wrapping a number of disused shop frontages
To find out more about Operation Sparkle or get involved with The Big Spring Clean, please get in touch with hello@stokeontrentbid.co.uk
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Bri-Stor Systems Crowned ‘Convertor of The Year’ at Fleet News Awards
Bri-Stor Systems has been crowned ‘Convertor of the Year Award’ at the prestigious Fleet News Awards.
Representatives from the Staffordshire-based vehicle conversion business Bri-Stor Systems attended the ceremony alongside 1,330 guests to celebrate the achievements of individuals and UK companies from across the fleet world.
Last year, Bri-Stor Systems celebrated 40 years of business, with judges recognising the ambitious sustainability targets and clear roadmap the company has to become carbon neutral.
Over the last 12 months, Bri-Stor Systems has worked hard to bring down lead times and has launched a new generation of vehicle storage systems and several services, including converting used vehicles, recycling tools and a prototype vehicle using renewable energy to power onboard equipment and reduce roadside idling.
Judges also praised the next-generation apprenticeship scheme, which brings new technicians into the industry.
Simon Webb, Bri-Stor Systems Managing Director, said: “This achievement would not have been possible without each and every one of our colleagues. Their hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence is remarkable.
“We celebrate this victory together and strive for perfection in everything we do.
“Congratulations to all of the finalists and winners of the Fleet News Awards – it was a fantastic evening to celebrate everything great about the Fleet industry!”
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Chris’ Blog: Welcoming Rachel to Staffordshire Chambers
Yesterday we officially welcomed Rachel Laver into her new role as CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce.
Joining us from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership, Rachel brings an impressive track record of executing high-value projects across a range of diverse sectors.
With a focus on the implementation of publicly funded projects and initiatives, Rachel’s experience as a regeneration specialist harmonises seamlessly with our goal of fostering economic development across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.
Her leadership will undoubtedly inspire our team and empower us to reach new milestones in service to our members and the broader business community. I can’t wait to work closely with Rachel as we continue to support the business community here in Staffordshire.
On behalf of the entire Staffordshire Chambers team, I extend a warm and heartfelt welcome to Rachel.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to every member of the Staffordshire Chambers team for their hard work during these past three months and beyond. Their commitment to our mission has been instrumental in our success, and I am truly grateful for all that they do.
Additionally, I would like to thank our Director of Finance and Corporate Services, Lorraine Green, who has helped to support the Chamber through this transitional period.
Here’s to a bright and prosperous future for Staffordshire Chambers under Rachel’s guidance.
Welcome aboard!
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