Exciting times at Commerce House this week as we officially opened applications for our 2024 Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards.

It’s the staple event in our Chamber calendar, returning with three brand new categories: the Responsible Business of the Year, the Learning and Development Award, as well as the Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Award. These new categories reflect our commitment to recognising the businesses that are making a positive impact on their communities and investing in the growth and development of their teams.

Whether you’ve achieved remarkable growth, demonstrated innovation, or had a significant impact on the Staffordshire economy, we want to hear your success stories.

We smashed the record for number of applications last year, and are looking to do the same again for 2024!

Applications are fast, free and straightforward to submit. It’s an excellent opportunity to enhance your brand visibility, access new marketing prospects, connect with the top businesses in Staffordshire, and ultimately boost your financial performance.

Our gala awards ceremony is scheduled for 4 July at the Doubletree by Hilton on Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent. We are delighted to have attracted a stellar lineup of companies and organisations who have generously signed up to support the awards. Their commitment and sponsorship play a crucial role in making this event a grand success. The Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards is the biggest awards ceremony in Staffordshire and it is only possible with their support. A massive thank you to you all.

Let’s make the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce 2024 Business Awards a memorable event that showcases the resilience, innovation and success of our local businesses.

Submit your free application, here. Good luck!

Rapidly-expanding Stoke accountants, Sempar Accountancy & Tax, has appointed Jake Llewellyn as their new Client Relationship Director.

Jake will join the firm’s board of directors following a ‘meteoric’ period of growth that has seen an influx of new clients.

Jake said: “Joining Sempar was an easy decision and I feel privileged to join the board of Directors.

“Sempar has seen meteoric growth over the last seven years and its success has been built on its core values, strong culture and excellent approach to advising clients. 

“The majority of my career has been spent at a local firm with a great reputation, this firm has helped me mould my skills and knowledge over the years which led me to have a hugely positive impact on the clients I worked with.”

The company, which was founded in 2016 by Steve Timmis and Aludia Binos, has now grown to employ nearly 30 staff members and operates from an executive office suite in Campbell Road, Stoke.

Jake added: “The move to Sempar also allows me to have a tangible impact on the future of Sempar and along with rest of the board help continue to evolve the culture, environment and services to help the team and our clients achieve the extraordinary.

“I thoroughly enjoy seeing my advisory skills lead to positive results for clients and I can’t wait to meet and support the Sempar clients.”

Sempar offers a complete range of services including tax advisory, tech advisory, FD support and more traditional accountancy services to help their clients thrive, from helping clients with business structures, implementing their finance software/app stacks and helping clients grow their businesses.

Steve Timmis, Sempar Managing Director, said: “Sempar warmly welcomes Jake as our Client Relationship Director. His wealth of experience and commitment to client success align seamlessly with Sempar’s values, and he will help us as we continue to commercialise our business.

“We believe Jake’s strategic vision will be instrumental in propelling Sempar to new heights and look forward to his contributions as we continue to evolve our culture, enhance our services, and achieve extraordinary results for our clients.”

With services including management accounts and reports, finance and funding support, effective cash flows, and cost analysis, Sempar Accountancy and Tax is a trusted partner for businesses of all sizes, from start-up to established businesses.

For more information about Sempar Accountancy and Tax, please click here.

Applications are now open for the 2024 Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards.

The hugely-popular annual celebration marks the achievements and successes of businesses around the county, and recognises their hard work and innovation during the last 12 months and beyond.

A total of 15 category awards are available to enter, including two brand new categories, Responsible Business of the Year and the Learning and Development Award.

Applications are fast, free, and can be made via the Chambers’ website, here.

This year’s gala awards ceremony will be held on 4 July at Doubletree by Hilton on Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent.  It has attracted a stellar line-up of companies and organisations who have signed up to support the awards.

Chris Plant, Deputy CEO of Staffordshire Chambers, said: “The prestigious Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards honour the remarkable accomplishments of local businesses that have showcased remarkable growth, innovation, and impact on the Staffordshire economy during the past year.

“Submitting a free application is an excellent way to enhance brand visibility, access fresh marketing prospects, connect with the top businesses in Staffordshire, and ultimately enhance your financial performance.”

Sponsors of this year’s awards include the West Midland Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, Ornua, Staffordshire County Council, Sempar Accountancy and Tax, Rydale Roofing, GivEnergy, Ironmarket Wealth, Staffordshire University, NSCG, Dains, Lexus and Toyota Stoke, Synectics Solutions, KPI Recruiting, Stoke-on-Trent College and the Staffordshire International Trade Centre – as well as HSBC who return as headline sponsor and We Are Staffordshire as Awards Partner.

The deadline for applications is 22 March and finalists shortlisted for an award will be exclusively unveiled in Daily Focus later in the Spring.

For more information on the awards and to apply, please click here.

Staffordshire Chambers is pleased to announce a new partnership with VAST, a charity dedicated to developing the voluntary sector in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire, that will give VAST members access to the Chambers’ Quest support services.

The Quest business support services include a range of benefits designed to support organisations and their teams, including HR support, health & safety guidance as well as legal and tax advice.

Chris Plant, Deputy CEO of Staffordshire Chambers, said: “The Chamber is renowned for its commitment to fostering business growth and prosperity in the region.

Through this partnership, we will extend their expertise and resources of Quest to VAST, ensuring that the vital work carried out by voluntary and community organisations is bolstered with essential tools and resources.”

VAST members who wish to take up the service will be invited to a free one-to-one meeting with one of Quest’s business support managers, who will guide charities through the intricacies of health and safety, legal and HR compliance. Organisations who utilise Quest will have round-the-clock access to advice and guidance on a range of business issues.

Lisa Healings, Chief Executive of VAST, said: “It’s really exciting to be able to work with the Chamber of Commerce to offer the Quest service to our members.

“Many of these voluntary sector organisations have only one or two staff members or are just embarking on employing staff for the first time, or they are completely volunteer run, but are operating community buildings.

“The biggest challenges they face are knowing where to get accurate and up to date legal advice and having the right policies and procedures in place to make sure they are legally compliant. Having this service available will mean they have a trusted source of information and can work with our project officers to get their governance in place for these areas.”

VAST members are encouraged to take advantage of these invaluable resources, which will help to contribute to the continued success of their organisations and the broader community they serve.

For more information about the partnership and the Chambers’ Quest benefits, please contact karena.pawlak@staffordshirechambers.co.uk or visit the VAST website, here.

Staffordshire Chambers’ International Trade Centre is excited to reveal that our hugely popular Trade Surgeries are returning to 2024 – giving businesses one-to-one support to help unlock new overseas markets, completely free of charge!

Led by trade expert Chris Street, the exclusive 30-minute sessions will help SMEs to find new overseas markets – perfect for businesses who have never traded internationally or those who have just started to break into new markets.

The one-to-one format ensures that you will receive bespoke advice tailored to your business, helping you to make more sales and grow your business.

Sessions will take place at Commerce House, with four currently available to book on the morning of Wednesday, 31 January and Monday, 26 February.

It’s important to note that due to limited availability, we encourage you to secure your slot early. These appointments are free and carry no obligation. To reserve your spot and make the most of this opportunity, kindly use the following link provided.

31 January – book here

26 February – book here

As of January 31, 2024, the Border Target Operating Model has confirmed that certain goods transported directly from Irish ports to Great Britain will be subject to full customs controls.

For goods imported directly from Ireland to Great Britain (excluding those moving from or through Northern Ireland), it is mandatory to complete import processes. To comply with these requirements, refer to the guidelines outlined in the Border Target Operating Model.

Traders handling these goods must now make import customs declarations at the point of import, eliminating the option to delay declarations. Ports are obligated to enforce customs clearance for goods moving from Ireland to Great Britain, and clearance is a prerequisite for releasing goods from the port.

It is crucial to ensure that you, or any party moving goods on your behalf, are acquainted with the new procedures effective from January 31, 2024.

What you need to do to prepare to move goods from 31‌‌‌ ‌‌January 2024:

• If you are moving qualifying Northern Ireland goods, you should confirm this to your haulier and/or carrier. You can find out more about qualifying Northern Ireland goods on GOV‌‌‌.UK
• You need to register for a GB Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number if you do not already have one
• As import declarations will need to be made through the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), you or your representative will also need access to the CDS
• To make import declarations in your own records (Entry In Declarants Records (EIDR)) you will need to apply for authorisation to use simplified declarations for imports if not already authorised
• If your goods are being moved from Ireland through roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) ports in Great Britain, you will need to make your customs declarations before the goods depart from Ireland, and you will need to follow Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) processes
• If hauliers are moving goods on your behalf they will need to register for GVMS if they haven’t already done so, and you will need to provide the movement reference number (MRN) from your declarations to the person moving your goods in order for them to be able to generate a goods movement reference (GMR). Hauliers will need to provide a valid GMR for all lorries and trailers moving from Ireland to Great Britain that check-in with a carrier from‌‌‌‌‌‌ ‌‌midnight on 31‌‌‌ ‌‌January 2024
• At inventory-linked ports or other locations, the haulier or the intermediary that is moving the goods on your behalf will need to follow standard processes to ensure your goods are presented to customs, declared, and cleared before they can be released for free circulation in Great Britain
• Businesses making a full import declaration or simplified frontier declaration on the CDS for goods moving from Ireland to Great Britain (including for excise goods) will no longer be required to ‘arrive’ their declaration by the end of the next working day after arriving in Great Britain. For goods being entered into excise duty suspense, the entry onto the Excise Movement and Control Systems (EMCS) must be made by the time they arrive in Great Britain
• If you are moving goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain via Ireland, including qualifying Northern Ireland goods, you will need to comply with some Irish customs requirements to exit through a port in Ireland, and will need to check Irish customs guidance

If you move non-qualifying goods directly from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, you will need to submit an import declaration.

If the goods are arriving in Great Britain from Northern Ireland through ro-ro ports, you do not need to include your import declaration reference in a GMR.

You will need to update the status of your full import declaration to ‘arrived’ on the system by 11‌‌‌.59pm on the working day after the day your goods arrived in Great Britain.

Delaying declarations for goods brought into Great Britain

From 31‌‌‌ ‌‌January 2024 you will no longer be able to delay sending HMRC the full information about your goods by up to 175 days after import.

If you moved goods from Northern Ireland or Ireland to Great Britain before 31‌‌‌ ‌‌January 2024 and used the delayed declarations process, you will need to submit your supplementary declarations and pay any customs duty within the 175 days deadline for the following movements:
• goods moved from Northern Ireland or Ireland to Great Britain which are not qualifying Northern Ireland goods
• goods moved from or through Northern Ireland to avoid the UK tariff or import processes
• goods moved from Ireland to Great Britain, having originally started their journey in the EU and passed through Northern Ireland

For further information please select the following links or email Exportmailbox@staffordshirechambers.co.uk  for support from our award-winning International Trade team.

• Moving qualifying goods from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK – GOV.UK
• Customs Declaration Service – GOV.UK
• Making an import declaration in your records – GOV.UK
• Apply to use simplified declarations for imports – GOV.UK
• Check how to move goods through ports that use the Goods Vehicle Movement Service – GOV.UK
• Register for the Goods Vehicle Movement Service – GOV.UK

Further help and support  can be found on GOV.UK: Imports and exports: general enquiries

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce is making strides in bolstering the region’s digital skills with the launch of the Digital Skills Working Group (DSWG). The initiative aims to forge connections between businesses and training providers, cultivating a comprehensive local perspective on the digital skills pathway.

The primary objective is to guide learners, and where applicable, their families, by providing direction to technology-specific learning opportunities. The DSWG endeavors to showcase available courses that support professional career development within the digital sector and beyond.

The inaugural meeting of the Digital Skills Working Group took place in November. Building on the momentum, the next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 25th January, at 10 AM. The meeting will be hosted at our Commerce House office (ST1 5BE), with the option for remote attendance. For more information or to confirm your attendance, please contact declan.riddel@staffordshirechambers.co.uk.

The envisioned digital skills pathway is anticipated to be a dynamic resource, open to contributions from training providers interested in participating. The emphasis lies in shedding light on the digital technology “stacks” covered in open courses. This approach encourages businesses to offer constructive feedback on the current offerings and identify potential gaps in the curriculum. The ultimate goal is to empower local businesses to actively participate in work placement opportunities, including T Levels and apprenticeships, with the assurance that relevant technology skills are actively taught within the community.

We invite interested parties to express their intention to attend the upcoming meeting and specify their preference for participation, whether face-to-face or remotely. Your input is crucial in shaping a robust and effective digital skills pathway for Staffordshire’s workforce. Together, we can bridge the gap and propel our region towards a digitally skilled future.

We’re delighted to announce that applications for Staffordshire’s biggest business awards will open next Monday, 22 January – and there are two brand new categories to enter!

The high-profile awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of local businesses who have demonstrated exceptional growth, innovation and contribution to the Staffordshire economy during the last 12 months and beyond.

It’s a great way to increase brand recognition, unlock new marketing opportunities, network with Staffordshire’s best businesses and ultimately boost your bottom line.

The annual Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards are widely recognised as the most illustrious awards in the region, with award winners joining a prestigious list of elite businesses who have previously won an accolade.

Finalists shortlisted for an award will be exclusively unveiled in Daily Focus, before being invited to join us for the Gala awards ceremony on 4 July.

The two new categories will be officially revealed when applications go live next Monday.

Good luck to everyone entering!