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Earlier this week, members of the HS2 Community Engagement Team gave a presentation to the Chambers’ Council about engaging with local businesses to support the development of HS2.

Work is already well underway on phase 1 from London to Lichfield, and Staffordshire based businesses can benefit from a good proportion of around 400,000 supply chain opportunities.

Over 80 Staffordshire businesses, including several Chamber members, are already involved with HS2, which has a policy of ensuring that more than half of the suppliers are local to the route and over two thirds of all suppliers are SMEs.

Opportunities are available in the following sectors: accommodation; food and catering; creative; transport and logistics; employee services; site services and trade and construction.

There are various ways in which you can find out about opportunities including visiting the national public contracts website www.competefor.com/hs2 You can also register your business on the HS2 map at www.hs2.org.uk/local-business

There will also be seminars and other events run by HS2 in partnership with the Chambers and other organisations which we will publicise through our channels as they arise.

HS2 is one example of new job opportunities in new sectors offering hope for the future which leads into the Office for National Statistics (ONS) labour market statistics for March 2021, which were published on Tuesday.

There was a glimmer of hope as, despite unemployment rising slightly, the continued uptick in the payroll employment data indicates that the UK jobs market is becoming more resilient.

Ongoing wage support through the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme, greater clarity provided by the government’s roadmap and the adaptations made by some small firms to operate under lockdown restrictions, all helped to support higher payroll employment in February.

Whilst it is likely that extending furlough will limit job losses, the damage done by cash flow problems is still inflicting a heavy toll on business and this is likely to keep unemployment levels rising well beyond the full reopening of the economy.

The extension to the job support schemes will protect millions of jobs and livelihoods, but we will continue to lobby through the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) to make sure that those businesses and individuals who remain excluded from government support get the assistance they need to navigate a difficult period.

And looking longer term, we will continue to hold the Government to account on there promise of delivering on new jobs in sectors as outlined in their 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. https://bit.ly/31gvBn3

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

I am relieved, as I am sure that you are, that Chancellor, Rishi Sunak seems to have heeded the advice from business leaders and extend furlough and support for the self-employed, extend business rates relief and VAT reductions and give our region’s firms the chance not only to restart, but also to rebuild.

The furlough scheme has been a lifeline for companies and extension gives firms much more clarity on the way ahead and will allow many to plan with greater optimism and confidence as they look to restart and rebuild over the coming months.

The hardest hit sectors such as hospitality and retail are set to benefit from further three-month business rate relief and VAT held at 5 percent as they look forward to reopening in the coming weeks.

While no business will relish paying higher rates of Corporation Tax in future, the impact of the Chancellor’s tough decision is blunted by the big new incentives for investment, lower rates for the smallest firms, and the extension of Coronavirus support measures in the short term.

This Budget provides reassurance to businesses, if they can restart and rebuild according to the Government’s road map. If firms face unexpected bumps in the road, the Chancellor must be prepared to act until the economy is firing on all cylinders again.

Key budget announcements include:

• The furlough scheme has been extended until the end of September. Furloughed employees will continue to receive 80 percent of their salary for hours not worked.

• Self-employed workers will be able to claim a fourth grant from the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme worth 80 percent of three months’ trading profits at up to £7,500.

• Corporation tax will rise to 25 percent from April 2023. However, there will be protection for those businesses with profits of less than £50,000.

• Business rates relief for the hardest hit sectors, such as retail and hospitality has been extended for three months.

• Businesses investing in new equipment can offset all the cost (with an additional 30 percent off) in a bid to encourage more firms to invest in technology.

• Hospitality and tourism firms will benefit from VAT being held at 5 percent. Other measures announced in the Budget include:

• £5bn grant scheme to help English high-street shops and hospitality businesses.

• An additional £400m for the arts sector – with £300m added to the existing Culture Recovery Fund, £90m for England’s museums and cultural bodies and £77m for similar initiatives in the devolved nations.

• £1.65bn towards the UK’s Covid vaccination rollout to help the country to achieve its aim of offering a first dose to every adult by the end of July.

• A ‘fast-track’ visa scheme to help start-up and rapidly growing tech firms source talent from overseas.

• An extra £126m into the traineeship scheme, in which the government pay employers who give young people work placements.

• The ‘Help to Grow’ scheme in which thousands of small businesses will be offered free MBA-style management training.

• A £150m pot to help communities take over a local pub or sports club at threat of closure.

Staffordshire Chambers is excited to be part of the West Midlands Expo, a virtual event taking place from 22nd to 26th March. The event is sponsored by Access2Finance.

Throughout the week, each Chamber in the West Midlands will be hosting a day to allow visitors and exhibitors to discover more about their county and its businesses.

Our day is Friday 26th March, when we will be hosting webinars on a range of topics including the end of furlough, UK and EU trade, HR, and wellbeing.

Businesses also have the opportunity of booking a virtual exhibition stand during the week where you can invite customers and potential customers to view your business and find out more about your products and services. To book free tickets for the Expo click here: http://bit.ly/3v062Vc

For all other enquiries including booking a virtual stand, email Laura Hodgkiss: laura.hodgkiss@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Finally, many businesses across England can now see a path to restart and recovery following the PMs announcement on Monday. Absolute clarity and honesty will be needed every step of the way over the coming weeks so that businesses have a fighting chance to rebuild, and in many cases to reopen.

The stop-start dynamics of the past year, which has so damaged business and communities, looks finally to be coming to an end.

Even with the PMs new roadmap, the future of thousands of firms and millions of jobs still hangs by a thread. Many hard-hit businesses simply do not have the cash reserves needed to survive the remaining weeks until they can reopen.

The Chambers, along with every business, will hold the Prime Minister to his pledge to support firms for the duration of the pandemic, as this gruelling marathon nears its end. Businesses have haemorrhaged billions of pounds over the past year and need action now.

We continue to lobby for all key support schemes for business to be extended – through the summer and wherever possible throughout 2021 – to ensure that as many viable firms as possible can make it to the finish line and recover.

It is also critical that alongside the pace of the vaccination programme, workplace testing is expanded to businesses of all sizes and continued for as long as is necessary – to help keep our companies and communities open over the months ahead.

Next Wednesday sees another crucial date for business as Chancellor, Rishi Sunak presents perhaps the most important Budget in a long while.

Whilst we accept that the Government has done much to protect business and jobs, we are hoping that the call from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) to the Government to finish the job as we move back to a fully open economy, has been heeded and acted upon.

The Chambers is hopeful that we can see an extension of the furlough scheme from the end of April to at least 21st June; a lengthening of repayment periods for VAT bills and an extension of the business rates holiday to help businesses who will be forced to close for a little while longer.

Chamber patrons, Dains Accountants, are hosting a post-Budget webinar on Thursday 4 March from 08.30am to 9.30am. Their tax expert Ann Diggins will present a concise summation of the main points of the Budget and how it will affect your business.

Any of you who have seen Ann’s presentation in previous years will know how she boils down the Budget into a fact-filled and often humorous half-hour which highlights the headlines as well as the facts that may have been intentionally buried in the detail.

If you are in business, you cannot afford to miss this event. You can register here.

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Whatever stage your business is at, it’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day and lose sight of your medium and long-term goals. Throw a pandemic in the mix for good measure and it’s a wonder that anyone is keeping on track with their business plan (or what business plan?).

What we all need is some friendly, experienced help – nothing too formal, just the opportunity for a chat with someone who has been there, done that and lived through other recessions. And someone who can view the business without the emotional attachment of owners and senior management.

We have a team of experienced business mentors who all volunteer to act as critical friends, guides, and sources of significant expertise, depending on the needs of the business who asks for help.

Our mentors may be still working or semi-retired but what they all love helping other business people achieve success and have a commitment to building a dynamic and stronger local economy.

Many of our mentors have given the free 16 hours of advice – and then carried on working with the business because they have proved to add significant value.

Mentor Jason Moody explains his ethos, “I encourage the business owner to be clear about what represents success. Transparent and simple reporting is vital.

“It’s important to identify the few tasks that will have the biggest impact. Doing a great job of the most important tasks is much better than an average job of everything on your ‘to do’ list. I also want to see clarity and conviction in the eyes of the individuals I work with.”

Every business can benefit and if you feel you and your business could be one of those now, please drop Richard Carty an email and let’s get you hooked up with someone to make a difference: richard.carty@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

But what happens if you are just thinking about starting out in business? Its not just established businesses who can benefit from support.

The pandemic has seen many people working from home which has meant time to ponder a new way of working and self-employment. Or maybe they are facing redundancy or have had enough of the prolonged period of furlough.

If you are looking to start up on your own, we have a team of experienced business advisers who provide tailored support to help you get up and running by getting to grips with essentials such as cashflow forecasting, business planning, marketing, and helping you to access grants and support.

We are also providing specialist help for young people considering self-employment, post further education.

If you or anyone you know would like to discuss your business idea and start your journey to self-employment contact Tom Nadin tom.nadin@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Business Innovation as Chambers Collaborate to Champion Regional Firms

Save The Date as Major West Midlands Business Expo Launched…….

Chambers of Commerce across the Midlands region have joined forces to raise the profile of thousands of businesses in a week-long celebration.

Supporting businesses throughout Covid-19 has been the top priority for every Chamber of Commerce and the West Midlands Virtual Business Expo, which kicks off in March, will provide the ultimate event for firms to network, make new connections and grow, as the business world looks to future recovery in post pandemic times.

The ‘West Midlands Business Expo’ will see the collective efforts of Chambers across the Black Country, Coventry & Warwickshire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Shropshire and Staffordshire, with businesses given the opportunity to exhibit at the Virtual Expo, alongside a packed agenda of engaging business focused events.

Taking place between 22nd and 26th March, the Expo comes at the end of a third national lockdown for the country in which many firms have continued to struggle to stay afloat, despite a range of financial support measures put in place by the UK government.

Over five days, the Virtual Expo is expected to attract thousands of visitors from across the region with exhibitors manning their virtual stands to showcase their products and services, whilst being able to respond online to new customer enquiries.

A range of informative business events will also be delivered during the week with each day having a local flavour, demonstrating the unique strengths & opportunities across the five West Midlands areas.

Chambers of Commerce across the UK have been at the forefront of supporting & advising firms through the COVID-19 pandemic and helping them to understand the latest developments, as well as acting as ‘the voice’ of their members to local, regional and national government.

To book a stand, please email laura.hodgkiss@staffordshirechambers.co.uk.

For more information on the West Midlands Business Expo, check out our digital brochure.

A recent survey of 500 mid-sized businesses across the Midlands region has revealed that two-thirds of firms surveyed believe now is the right time to invest in their businesses despite the current lockdown and ongoing economic challenges.

The latest BDO Rethinking the Economy survey, found the top three investment priorities in 2021 are investing in technology and new processes to increase business efficiency, developing initiatives to support employee wellbeing, and hiring graduates and apprentices.

However, businesses surveyed also called on the Government to do the same, to make significant progress in their pledge to ‘level up’ the UK regions over the next three years. And the areas they want investment are in 5G and internet connectivity, more commercial space for business and mandate more devolution to local government.

The survey also revealed that 39% of Midlands businesses expect to recover from the pandemic within seven to 12 months once the toughest restrictions are lifted.

At Staffordshire Chambers we are geared up and ready to help all firms with their post-Covid19 recovery strategy.

We have an experienced Business Growth Advisor, Richard Brace, to provide advice and information to small and medium sized enterprises in Staffordshire that are looking to grow, re-establish their position after the Coronavirus slowdown, and companies looking to develop their strategy to achieve higher growth going forward.

Richard can meet you and offer advice and an objective diagnostic of your growth plans to help develop your company’s strategy and can also deliver an on-line GROWTHmapper business diagnostic. This is an excellent way to get the recovery ball rolling as it enables business leaders to set aside some time to think about the company’s position whilst engaging all senior management teams in the strategic planning development process.

If you would like to speak to Richard about your plans for growth, please email him: richard.brace@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

The government’s Kickstart Scheme is also a great way to help business recovery whilst providing employment opportunities and vital experience for 16–24-year-olds who have been particularly affected by the pandemic.

As part of the Chancellor’s Plan for Jobs, Kickstart provides six-month placements for young people who are claiming Universal Credit and are at risk of long-term unemployment.

The Government picks up 100 per cent of employment costs up to 25 hours a week at the appropriate minimum wage level as well as National Insurance and pension contributions. Employers also receive £1500 towards equipment and training costs.

Dozens of firms locally have already engaged with the scheme to bring in fresh talent and ideas to aid their recovery.

To find out more and to discuss how Kickstart can benefit your business email: kickstart@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

If you want to talk to us about any business issues, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Continuing Professional Development is a recognised standard used by professionals through the CPD Certification Service, to further their career and develop vital skills. It’s a proactive and conscious form of learning which uses various methods to help individuals either learn new skills or develop existing ones.

Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Growth Hub and Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce are delighted to announce their investment into CPD, as they join the CPD Certification Service as members. This new step forward will enable both Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Growth Hub and Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce to provide CPD Accredited workshops, webinars and seminars, which will greatly aid businesses in their recovery from the pandemic and beyond.

Together we recognise the importance of completing CPD and how it contributes in building employee’s confidence and credibility, allows them to showcase their achievements and equips them with tools to cope positively with change, beneficial for employees’ career progression and advancement.

Sara Williams, CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “To have a globally recognised stamp of approval for our workshops and events shows the value and importance of the advice and support that we are offering businesses during this crucial recovery period and we look forward to working alongside the Growth Hub to develop a complementary programme of CPD events.”

Nicola Kent, Manager of Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Growth Hub, added: “This is an incredibly exciting development for Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Growth Hub which I’m sure will be extremely beneficial for local businesses. I’m very excited to be partnering with Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce on this wonderful new venture.”

For employees, CPD helps to keep knowledge and skills up-to-date. It also ensures that the professional standard of their qualifications and registrations is maintained. Furthermore, it contributes to a professional sense of direction. Completing CPD helps to build confidence and credibility, allowing employees them to showcase their achievements. CPD also equips employees with tools to cope positively with change, which is beneficial for employees’ career progression and advancement.

Offering CPD options benefit employers through focussed and motivated teams, who have a sense of value and direction. In the current climate, this is more important than ever and by utilising opportunities such as CPD Accredited courses and events, employers are able to offer enhancement and advancement goals to their employees, which in turn benefit the business through enhanced skills and learning in the workplace.

Over the coming months, both Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Growth Hub and Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce will be releasing further details of courses and events which businesses can engage with in order to access this new service.