The end of March means winding the clocks forward an hour, brighter evenings and a chance to look back on the role of our Chambers’ policy forums during Quarter 1 of 2023.
Our specifically tailored sector forums bring together business leaders, drawn exclusively from our diverse Chambers’ membership. The forums are a great opportunity to meet experts in your field, raise any potential issues and share new opportunities within the Staffordshire business community. Our forums steer our policy making process, ensuring that your voice is heard by decision makers.
Our Money Matters forum developed a Budget ‘wish-list’ which we sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, prior to the Budget. We called for childcare costs to be more affordable, encouraging parents back to work after the birth of a child. It was great to see a Budget announcement of extra funded hours to parents of one- and two-year olds and an expansion of free childcare for three year-olds.
Lisa Healings of Voluntary Action Stoke-on-Trent (VAST) was the guest speaker at our HR, Employment & Skills forum and she gave an update on volunteering, including how to support employees to volunteer and the different ways to incorporate volunteering into a business. Hot topics were free training and the ever-rising minimum wage and the knock on effect this is having on salary staff.
The members of our Energy, Environment & Sustainability forum joined a fascinating guided tour of Staffordshire University’s Staffordshire Advanced Manufacturing, Prototyping and Innovation Demonstrator (SAMPID) facility. The tour included a visit to the newly installed Micro Gas Turbine (MGT) LAB and Micro Combined Heat and Power (Micro-CHP) demonstrator, which offer the opportunity for businesses and universities to collaborate in low carbon and renewable energy systems.
Our popular Manufacturers’ forum met in January and we were joined by Nadia Bidzinska of Ornua Foods, who gave an update of the sustainability journey undertaken by Ornua. Emma Bonfiglio and Clare Nicholl of the Keele University Business Gateway gave an update on innovation support available to small businesses. Discussion included sustainability and the challenges of becoming more sustainable during the energy crisis.
The Transport forum looks at all forms of transport, from road to rail and from aviation to marine. During the January meeting, the forum discussed Smart Motorways, air quality, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, Restoring your Railways Fund and skills in the transport sector. Guest speakers included Alex Dodds (Midlands Connect), who delivered an update on Midlands Connect’s Economy & Freight Programme.
Vicky Osgood (Business Relations Manager, HS2 Ltd), joined January’s HS2 forum and delivered an update on Phase 2A of the HS2 line, from Fradley – Crewe. Mark Connell (Levelling Up Programme Director, Stoke-on-Trent City Council), gave an update on the Goods Yard development to the west of Stoke-on-Trent Station. We also discussed Levelling Up and Skills/Employment.
Damien Holdstock of St Modwen attended our Planning & Infrastructure forum and delivered a presentation on getting the views of local businesses about the role of logistics. There was a discussion on the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill and it was agreed that there would be a follow up response from the Chamber, subsequently submitted in March.
I’m looking forward to attending this week’s Rural Business forum, when we’ll be joined by Zoe Robinson of Keele University, who will deliver an update on the move to Net Zero.
Being a member of our Chamber policy forums is a great way to join your fellow members in helping to shape our policy and influence as a Chamber. It’s also a great way to grow your network contacts and with meetings typically held once a quarter, it won’t involve too much in the way of time commitment. Meetings are usually held at our Commerce House office in Stoke-on-Trent and once a meeting has finished, you’ll be very welcome to move to our Members’ Lounge, grab a brew and work from here for the rest of the day!
If you would like to learn more about any of our Chamber forums, please contact: declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
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