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Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce has launched our 2024 Business Manifesto to help address the region’s most pressing economic challenges.

Structured around five pivotal themes, the Manifesto outlines the targeted policy and lobbying work that we will follow to help enable economic growth across Staffordshire.

Under each theme, we have outlined the commitments that we will follow, while identifying key actions that we will seek from partners and stakeholders.

A copy of the Manifesto has been distributed to all local Parliamentary candidates and national political leaders ahead of the general election on 4 July.

Connected Staffordshire emphasises the county’s exceptional connectivity, with four major airports within an hour’s drive and 40% of the UK population within a two-hour drive.

The Manifesto calls for improved transport infrastructure, reduced congestion, and enhanced public transport to facilitate smoother movement of people and goods.

Digital Staffordshire addresses the critical role of digital technology in modern business operations. The Manifesto highlights the ongoing struggle with digital poverty and the significant threat posed by cyber-attacks. It stresses the importance of educating businesses on cybersecurity and maximising the benefits of new technologies.

Global Staffordshire encourages local businesses to engage in global trade despite the current volatility caused by post-pandemic, post-Brexit conditions, and supply chain disruptions.

Green Staffordshire focuses on sustainability and the importance of achieving net-zero aspirations. The Manifesto emphasises the need for businesses to adopt sustainable practices to combat climate change.

And finally, Skilled Staffordshire highlights the critical need for a skilled workforce. The Manifesto points out challenges in recruitment and retention, particularly in sectors like manufacturing and hospitality. It calls for more flexible workplaces, ongoing training, and upskilling to attract and retain a diverse talent pool, thereby preventing unnecessary workforce attrition.

Declan Riddell, Policy Adviser at Staffordshire Chambers, said: “Our Manifesto is a call to action for our local businesses and political leaders.

“By addressing these key themes, we can build a thriving, resilient economy in Staffordshire.”

Also timed in line with the General Election, Staffordshire Chamber will host the Parliamentary candidates for the Stoke-on-Trent Central constituency at their Commerce House offices next Friday, 28 June, for a business-focussed hustings event. Spaces for the event are free and can be booked here.

The full Manifesto is available online for public viewing.

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce is delighted to announce that we have received our highest-ever response rate for a Quarterly Economic Survey (QES).

The record level of participation reflects the strong engagement of businesses in Staffordshire – with over 330 firms having their say on the current challenges that they are facing.

While responses indicate a slight decline in sales, customer or booking numbers, and advance bookings, as well as a decrease in workforce growth over the past and upcoming three months, they also highlight critical areas of concern and opportunity.

Key findings from the survey include:

• Price Expectations: An increase in respondents expecting to raise prices in the future, coupled with a slight drop in those anticipating turnover growth.
• Cost Pressures: Labour costs and other overheads are the top pressures driving potential price increases, with energy prices and supply costs being major concerns compared to three months ago.
• Positive Developments: Growth in overseas sales, customers, and bookings, alongside increased investments in plant, machinery, capital, and training over the past three months. Additionally, more respondents expect profitability to rise over the next 12 months.

Read the findings in full via Daily Focus, here.

Declan Riddell, Policy Adviser at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “We would like to thank all of the businesses that took the time to complete the latest QES survey and for helping us to set a new record for number of responses.

“The QES is a vital tool for us to understand the economic landscape, feeding into our lobbying work, as well as being reported back to organisations including the Bank of England and The HM Treasury.

“Responses from the survey suggest that our businesses are still battling economic headwinds.

“The competition for skills remains strong, and the high-cost pressures of wages and interest rates are ongoing challenges. The actual cost of doing business continues to be a significant issue.”

He added: “Achieving our highest-ever response rate for the QES is a milestone, and we extend our sincere thanks to everyone who participated. Your input is invaluable in shaping our understanding and advocacy efforts.”

All 52 UK Chambers of Commerce conduct the QES in their respective regions.

The findings, widely recognised as a valuable source of information about economic performance, are shared with the British Chambers of Commerce, government departments including HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office, as well as the Bank of England.

Performance improvement specialists, Investors in Excellence Group are joining forces with Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce to launch a brand-new venture, Excellence in Staffordshire.

The Excellence in Staffordshire initiative is designed specifically to progress business to a place of excellence that puts them ahead of the competition and second to none.

Businesses will be able to find out all about Excellence in Staffordshire at a special launch event on 11^th July at Chambers HQ on Festival Park.

Judy Hart, Chief Executive, Investors in Excellence Group said: “The Excellence in Staffordshire programme is not another administration-heavy burden that will turn off your employees and confuse your customers. It is a series of uncomplicated tools and modules to guide you at every stage of your journey.

“We have been delivering the Investors in Excellence Standard across the world for over 28 years, enabling organisations to excel in the areas that matter most to them, their customers, people, and stakeholders.

“We have close associations with Staffordshire, and I have been particularly impressed with the way businesses cooperate and collaborate for the good of the local community and Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce is truly at the heart of this activity.

Covering all performance areas, Excellence in Staffordshire will guide improving achievements through effective and efficient leadership, resourcing, and delivery identifying what matters most to drive continuous improvement.

“Excellence in Staffordshire will focus on achieving excellence in the county and driving business success. Primarily, it’s a unique collaboratory where people collab (share), oratory (listen and speak), to harness and enhance the full potential of human capability, unlocking potential, and improving performance through strategic development, continuous improvement, and sustainable growth.”

One Staffordshire organisation to already benefit from the Investors in Excellence Standard is Douglas Macmillan Hospice. In 2022, they became the first hospice in the UK to achieve the globally recognised Investor in Excellence Standard.

David Webster, Chief Executive of Douglas MacMillan Hospice said: “We want to be admired as a centre of excellence for palliative and end of life care – that is our fundamental goal.  We have worked with Investors in Excellence to secure excellence at the core of our hospice, and this partnership has been invaluable in our quest to evidence all that we do as demonstrably excellent.

“I am delighted that Excellence in Staffordshire has launched so that businesses and organisations in the county can gain the recognition they deserve for delivering exceptional service.”

Chris Plant, deputy CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce added: “Excellence in Staffordshire is a natural fit for The Chambers, so I was delighted when Judy Hart first approached me about the launch of the programme. We deal with world class businesses on a day-to-day basis and want to do all we can do to enable continual improvement and being the best.”

Book your free place on the Excellence in Staffordshire launch: https://bit.ly/3VmJSdw

Stoke City has launched a new Business Club, providing new opportunities for businesses of all sizes to partner with and demonstrate support for the Potters at accessible price points.

The Business Club becomes a brand-new tier of official partnership aimed at connecting businesses to City’s vast audience from the 24/25 season and beyond.

As well as receiving exposure for their brand, companies will enjoy additional benefits from entering an official partnership with the Potters, as well as gaining access to the Stoke City Business Club and associated exclusive events.

A trio of packages at varying price points have been created to cater for businesses of virtually any size, with a full overview available by contacting the Club’s friendly team.

Each package includes a minimum of the following:

• Exclusive access to a calendar of Business Club events throughout the
  24/25 season
• Official Partnership designation along with bespoke logo
• In-play LED advertising
• Digital branding across concourse TVs situated within the bet365 Stadium
• Business Club recognition showcased on the club website, matchday
  programme and in-stadium big screen
• Matchday hospitality

Steven Forrest, Head of Partnerships at Stoke City, said: “Following dialogue and feedback from members of our local business community, we are thrilled to announce the formation of the Stoke City Business Club.

“This brand-new partnership proposition has been created solely to offer regional businesses opportunities to demonstrate their proud support for Stoke City whilst showcasing their brand to a vast audience at a range of highly competitive price points.

“In addition to an array of key commercial inventory that will display a company’s branding on matchdays and beyond, the Business Club itself will create a ‘club within a club’ and connect like-minded businesses at a calendar of exclusive events throughout the 24/25 season.

“Ahead of what promises to be an exciting period of growth both on and off the pitch, any business is welcome to get in touch and discuss joining the club.”

To receive a copy of the partnerships brochure and to find out more about the Stoke City Business Club, please contact the Club’s Head of Partnerships, Steven Forrest, on Steven.Forrest@stokecityfc.com or 01782 592216.

Staffordshire Chambers is thrilled to announce an exclusive offer for its members: a 50% discount on tickets to the upcoming Love Cheese Live festival.

Taking place from 28 June to 29 June 2024 at the Staffordshire County Show Ground, this premier event is set to be one of the UK’s largest cheese, food, and drink festivals.

Love Cheese Live is renowned for bringing together cheese lovers, food enthusiasts, and culinary experts for an unforgettable celebration of gastronomy. The festival will feature:

• Live Cooking Demonstrations: Enjoy culinary inspiration from a fantastic line-up of the best chefs and experts cooking live.
• Exquisite Tastings: Delight in the finest dairy brands, exciting new flavours, and the latest trends in cheese and food.
• Exclusive Shopping: Discover carefully selected independent producers offering the finest food, drink, and culinary products in the country.

The discount code can be obtained by emailing tom.hammersley@Staffordshirechambers.co.uk

For more information about the festival and to purchase tickets, please visit the Love Cheese Live website.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) today released its latest labour market data, providing insights into the unemployment rate, economic inactivity, vacancies and pay growth.

The headline figure shows that monthly real gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have shown no growth in April 2024, following growth of 0.4% in March 2024.

Declan Riddell, Policy Adviser at Staffordshire Chambers, said: “The lack of growth in April underlines the ongoing challenges businesses in Staffordshire face, compounding problems that include skills shortages, borrowing costs and trade barriers.

“However, broader trends, such as the recently revised economic forecast released by the British Chambers of Commerce, as well as three month growth to GDP, come as welcome news for businesses.

“As we approach the general election, it’s crucial for policymakers to address these issues to sustain and build on the recent gains. Staffordshire’s businesses need clear and decisive action from the next government to unlock their full potential and drive regional growth.”

David Bharier, Head of Research at the British Chambers of Commerce, added:  “Growth of 0.7% in the three months to April is positive news. Our own forecast, released last week, has upgraded growth expectations for 2024 to 0.8%, rising to 1% in 2025.  

“However, while the broader trend is ticking up, downside risks remain. Many businesses we speak to are still held back by skills shortages, high borrowing costs, and trade barriers with the EU. Sectoral performance remains very imbalanced, with retail and hospitality sectors consistently reporting weaker growth. 

“With unemployment rising and inflation slowing, pressure will be growing on the Bank of England to cut the interest rate. But to boost investment, any cut needs to be accompanied by clear action from the next government. As we set out in our election manifesto they must prioritise on unlocking growth across skills, business rates, trade, AI and green innovation.” 

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced a ground-breaking £7.4 million pilot scheme aimed at subsidising the cost of AI skills training for small and medium-sized enterprises within the Professional Business Services sector.

The Flexible AI Upskilling fund seeks to bolster AI adoption and productivity among SMEs, with £6.4 million available in grant funding.

Eligible businesses can apply for funding to cover up to 50% of the costs associated with AI skills training. This includes developing, deploying, or using AI within their operations.

The scheme aims to stimulate employer investment in AI training, address AI skills gaps limiting AI adoption, and measure the impact of AI upskilling on business productivity and outcomes.

To be eligible, businesses must be registered and operating in the UK, employ between 1-249 employees, be in existence for at least one year, and operate in the PBS sector as defined by specific SIC codes.

Funding is structured based on business size, with micro businesses (up to 10 employees) eligible for up to £2,500, small businesses (up to 50 employees) eligible for up to £5,000, and medium businesses (up to 250 employees) eligible for up to £10,000.

Applications must be submitted by 23:59 on August 18, 2024. Training must be completed, and invoices submitted by February 2025. Funding may be allocated through a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) to ensure robust evaluation. Find out more by clicking here.

Fully electric recovery trucks will be hitting the UK’s roads thanks to a pioneering launch from The AA.

The move will see The AA become the first UK-based roadside assistance firm to add full electric recovery vehicles to its fleet.

Due to the complex vehicle requirements, The AA is taking a “test and scale” approach to fleet decarbonisation with structured tests of alternative fuel vehicles in real-life settings. 

The UK’s largest motoring organisation hosted a Fleet Decarbonisation event at its Oldbury Operations Centre today (Friday), unveiling the most recent additions to its 3000-vehicle-strong roadside assistance and recovery fleet.

Edmund King OBE, AA president, and Duncan Webb, AA’s head of fleet, welcomed guests from across the motoring world to present an overview of The AA’s Motoring Manifesto, The AA’s latest Environment Social and Governance (ESG) report and its plans to extend its range of low emissions concept vehicles. The pair discussed how The AA will navigate its way towards a net zero future before unveiling The AA’s latest electric concept vehicles to the gathered motoring press and fleet suppliers.

Amongst an impressive selection of low-emission vehicles from across The AA business sat the day’s main attractions: a fully electric Volvo FE Slidebed; an Iveco eDaily Powerload; an Iveco eDaily crew van equipped with a heavy-duty Compact Recovery Trailer (CRT). These vehicles will become the first operational EV recovery trucks in the UK, accelerating the company’s efforts to meet its 2035 net zero target.

Edmund King OBE said: “Introducing these exciting new concept vehicles to our fleet is an important step towards our goal of becoming a net zero company by 2035.

“As a market-leading organisation, we are committed to showing the way as the country transitions to a zero emissions future.”

This electric version of the Volvo FE 19T is equipped with a Boniface VLA (very low angle) slidebed. It is the latest addition to a growing partnership between The AA and the Swedish vehicle maker. The vehicle can carry 6000kg on its recovery bed and up to 2000kg on its 2^nd car lift. The vehicle has an impressive range of 170 miles and a recharge rate of 2.25 hours when using a 150kWh rapid charger. The spacious cab can carry two passengers in comfort and is likely to be used to recover vehicles in and around low-emissions zones such as London and Birmingham.

Duncan Webb added: “We’re excited to introduce these groundbreaking vehicles to our ‘test and scale’ approach to fleet decarbonisation.

“All the vehicles on show today are subject to structured tests in real-life settings and include both hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO), electric in the highest emission intensity HGVs and across our wide range of Van applications. These vehicles form the foundation of learning for scale deployment in the near and long-term future for our customers.”

A new Projects and Marketing Executive has been appointed by the Newcastle-under-Lyme BID bringing with her a wealth of positivity and passion for a town close to her heart.

Charlie Machin joins with extensive experience of creating engaging campaigns that will support BID levy-payers and contribute to the delivery of key projects.  

Her efforts will key into the organisation’s business objective of building on Newcastle-under-Lyme’s vision of creating a safe, welcoming and forward thinking town for the whole community. 

North Staffordshire-born Charlie said: “After living and working in London for several years, I’ve always been passionate about being positive and championing my hometown.  

“Moving back to the area, I’ve loved seeing the progression of the town and how it is becoming more vibrant and thriving. So, this role is a great fit for me.  

“Coming from a design and retail background, I believe I can help our businesses to really flourish, and I can’t wait to get involved and make a difference.”

Charlie will support the BID Manager, Charl Pearce, and work alongside Business Engagement Officer David Breese. 

Charl Pearce said: “Charlie brings a fantastic skill set to our small but mighty team. She is deeply invested in the town and its community, and we are looking forward to welcoming her to the team.  

“Her background in design and marketing will be a valuable asset as we continue to support our BID levy-payers and enhance the vibrancy of Newcastle-under-Lyme.”