The Members Lounge
Looking for a quiet place to focus on your work, with free hot drinks on tap? Or a chilled-out space to meet with like-minded people over a brew? Chamber members get to enjoy free use of our bright and airy Members’ Lounge in Festival Park – a perfect place to work, meet and network.
The Members’ lounge also offers FREE quality barista style coffee from high spec tea / coffee making facilities so that you can keep working to make your business great.
- Published in Influence & Network, News
Transport Forum Blog
A blog by Mike Herbert
Chair of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Transport Forum
If Staffordshire, and specifically areas where business and commerce are located, is going to increase economic activity and prosperity, then we are going to need a transport infrastructure that is fit for purpose in coming decades.
Therefore, the remit of the Transport Forum is to ensure the ongoing competitiveness of Staffordshire businesses by representing the interests of members to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), local authorities, government departments, ministers, MPs, the media, and other relevant bodies. The Forum’s priorities are issues such as: ensuring businesses have access to transport infrastructure and services to facilitate trade and employment; ensuring transport policy supports businesses and employment needs in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire and formulating the Chambers responses to local and national planning consultations.
On the roads we see a priority to finish the M6 smart motorway upgrade. Specifically, the section from J15 to J16 and the upgrade of J15 following on from the implementation of smart motorways to the south from J15 to Birmingham and to the north from J16 to Manchester. Currently J15 to J16 is left as the gap in the middle of a crucial motorway link.
Both the A500 and A50 through North Staffordshire are fast approaching capacity and various bottlenecks need to be addressed. We also need to ensure timely delivery of the Etruria Valley link road.
HS2, although not stopping in the county, will have an impact on our existing rail services. We are campaigning for the maintenance of, and improvements to the railway links to Stoke and Stafford so that Staffordshire is not disadvantaged by HS2. We certainly do not want to see any downgrading to services to London, Birmingham, and Manchester in capacity, speed, and frequency. This includes much needed improvements to the Derby to Crewe service which runs via Stoke-on-Trent.
We also want to see efficient delivery of the construction phase which utilises regional suppliers and causes minimum disruption to existing transport networks, businesses, and Staffordshire residents.
Sustainable transport and reducing our carbon emissions down to net zero by 2050 has a major bearing on our discussions on local initiatives to hasten the move from fossil fuels to electric and hydrogen fuels. We need progress in a deliverable, cost effective way which does not create any disadvantages to Staffordshire and its businesses.
Finally, we will be monitoring the post-Brexit effects on international transport, particularly freight traffic to the EU to guage what effect this is having on our businesses.
I hope this gives a flavour of our Forum and its objectives. If you would like to know more, and if you would consider joining us to support our endeavours, please email Declan Riddell: declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
If you want to talk about any business issues, you can call the Chambers switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
To join the Forum discussion click here Hot Topics — Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
- Published in News
Staffordshire Enterprise Board Blog
Supporting the Chamber in promoting enterprise
A blog by Jeremy Lefroy
Chair of Staffordshire Enterprise Board
The Staffordshire Enterprise Board was formed in 2020, in part to take on the work of Stafford Enterprise which had supported new enterprise in Stafford Borough for around 30 years.
The brief was widened to cover the whole of the County and City, to support Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce and other organisations, in activities which create new jobs and encourage people to start up a new enterprise.
The Chambers have never had more resources to help people who are starting a new business venture than they do now. There are four specialist business start-up advisors branded as Staffordshire START. Staffordshire County Council is also partnering with the Chambers, offering 12-month interest free loans of up to £5000 to businesses fulfilling the criteria.
In a drive to promote self-employment opportunities for young people, the Staffordshire Student Start-up Programme was launched in January. Delivered by Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, and funded by Staffordshire County Council, it is a new programme of free advice, mentoring and support for post-18 FE students looking to set up their own business.
For more information on all the above schemes for business start-ups here: https://bit.ly/2DwJzsu
Both our universities are represented on the Board and are a great support. Staffordshire University have their own start-up programme ( https://bit.ly/2QWpjY7), which has helped more than 170 businesses to start up in the past five years. Keele University offers internships for graduates (https://bit.ly/3aFeiB8) from any university to find out more about a career or type of organisation and provide them with experience vital for their CVs. It also gives employers the opportunity to test out both the candidate and a potential role within their company.
The availability of finance for start-ups can make or break a potential new business idea. Sourcing more non-debt finance is another of the group’s priorities. The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub, https://bit.ly/3aB2cco, based at the Chamber, provides up to date advice and guidance on current grant funding and loans. We also have close links with venture capital providers such as BCRS (https://bit.ly/3aB2cco), Midven (Midven) and Michelin Development (https://bit.ly/3eu2Rh3).
The Government’s Kickstart Scheme offers fully funded six-month work placements for 18–24-year-olds up to the end of 2022. The Chamber is a conduit for the scheme which is administered by Job Centre Plus and the DWP. There has been a tremendous response so far with 1500 vacancies on offer in the City and County, around 800 applications advertised and over 150 places filled. More information: Kickstart – Staffordshire Chambers
Improving skills is a top priority. Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Skills Hub headed by Suzanne Quinn, have done fine work with hundreds of Staffordshire businesses, facilitating training relevant to each organisation, and providing significant funding to offset costs. More information: https://bit.ly/3xo5f1s
We invite a guest speaker to each forum meeting and at the last meeting our guest speaker was Faye Williams from the Community Foundation for Staffordshire. Faye talked about UN Sustainability goals and how we can promote them amongst businesses.
This is an overview of the activities encouraged and supported by the Staffordshire Enterprise Board. In the coming months, we will go into more detail on each of them. I am very grateful to the team at the Chambers, led by Sara Williams and Tom Nadin, without whom this work would not be possible.
If you would like to know more, and if you would consider joining us to support enterprise in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, please email me: jjelefroy@gmail.com
If you want to talk about any business issues, you can call the Chambers switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
To join the Forum discussion click here Hot Topics — Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
- Published in News
Rural Business Forum Blog
Reshaping Staffordshire’s rural economy
A blog by David Cousins
Assistant principal of South Staffordshire College and chair of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Rural Business Forum
The March meeting was my first as the newly appointed chair of the Rural Business Forum and we had a lot to discuss as the impact of Covid-19 continues to play out on the rural business community of Staffordshire.
It is a great honour to take up the post and I and fellow forum members intend to make an impact in helping rural based businesses prosper in any way we can.
There is quite a list of challenges facing rural businesses at present and we touched upon several at the meeting including, access to funding; rural and cyber-crime; broadband; rural networking and links to our curriculum at SSC.
On funding and finance, I know that most local authorities have posted information on grants such as the Mandatory Local Restrictions Support Grant, Restart grants and discretionary grants on their websites and in newsletters. However, the challenge is to ensure that this information is effectively disseminated so that the grants are taken up by those who need them most.
Rural communities do not share the luxury of connectivity and networks as their counterparts in urban areas and this situation has been exacerbated by the lack of physical social contact, for example a conversation at the local pub or Young Farmers meeting simply has not been happening.
We are incredibly grateful that Jeremy Lowe from the NFU is an active member of our group. In his role as county advisor for Staffordshire he can listen to rural businesses about the issues they are facing and employ resources to effectively work on their behalf across all sectors.
Jeremy is doing a lot of work with schools and colleges in the county to make sure that farming and rural business is on the curricular and extra-curricular radar so that we are not only increasing awareness but bringing on the next generation of the workforce with the appropriate skills and knowledge to meet the demands of a changing rural business landscape.
Rural crime has also sadly increased with the pandemic as increased poverty has led to more thefts of equipment and livestock. Worryingly there has been an increase in the theft of lambs as lambing season reaches its peak.
One of my short-term aims as chair is to involve Staffordshire Police in the forum so that we can work towards raising awareness and preventative measures to curb this upward trend of criminal activity.
Finally, a call to you. Forum member Ian Jackson from Staffordshire County Council has drafted an economic strategic paper to formalise all the above and other issues into a working action plan. I would welcome comment from anyone involved in business in the rural areas of Staffordshire. I would also like to increase membership of the forum to harness as much expertise and knowledge as we can.
If you are interested in finding out more or coming along to a future Rural Business Forum, please contact Vicky Frost at the Chamber: vicky.frost@staffordshirchambers.co.uk
If you want to talk about any business issues, you can call the Chambers switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
To join the Forum discussion click here Hot Topics — Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
- Published in News
Planning & Infrastructure Forum Blog
Local plans to deliver opportunity.
A blog by Carl Copestake
Chair of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Planning & Infrastructure Forum
The hot topic with the Planning & Infrastructure Forum is the local plans for Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme, which are both set to be unveiled by each council later this year (with adoption of the plans in 2022/23).
Local plans are prepared by each Local Planning authority, namely the Council authority for the area.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that the planning system should be genuinely plan-led with succinct and up-to-date plans providing a positive vision for the future of an area and a framework for addressing housing needs and other economic social and environmental priorities including sustainability.
When the two local plans come into effect, they will replace the Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent Core Spatial Strategy. Originally intended as a joint plan the authorities have since decided to produce their own plans which will have a massive (and hopefully positive) impact on the local economy particularly for landowners and businesses looking to relocate and /or expand, and for inward investment.
Planning officers from both Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme attend the Planning & Infrastructure Forum and are aware of the Chambers’ intention both to be a friend to both councils whilst facilitating an opportunity for feedback to aid crucial decisions during the final months of plan formulation.
At the last meeting of the forum in January planning officers spoke about their respective plans and engaged in a discussion with forum members.
Forum members raised some very pertinent points on how current changes to planning, such as Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and the Government’s Planning White Paper, can be incorporated into a local plan which is going to last for 15-20 years.
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council had their Local Plan adopted in September 2020 and they are now concentrating on meeting the full housing and employment needs in their area and already have sites earmarked for use.
There will be supply chain opportunities for local businesses in the infrastructure and construction phases as well as well as ongoing service provision.
Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme planning departments have each agreed to host a webinar about the local plan and how businesses can get involved in the consultations. The Stoke webinar is set to take place on 17th May and Newcastle’s is to be confirmed but will be in the autumn.
If you would like to register your interest for the webinars, please contact Vicki Hardie: vicki.hardie@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
To find out more about what we do or if you are considering joining the Planning and Infrastructure Forum, please contact me: carl.copestake@knightsplc.com
If you want to talk about any business issues, you can call the Chambers switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
To join the Forum discussion click here Hot Topics — Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
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Money Matters Forum Blog
Making sense of finances during the pandemic and beyond
A blog by Peter Graham
Chair of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Money Matters Forum
With the year we have had there has been no shortage of topics to discuss at the Money Matters Forum.
The Jobs Retention Scheme and furlough, bounce back loans, CBILS, SEISS, restart grants and deferred VAT payments are just some financial initiatives thrown into the mix in the past year. Add in the November and March Budgets for good measure and it is easy to see why business needs more financial help and guidance than ever just to keep up.
I am honoured to hold the chair of the Money Matters Forum. I am a corporate tax partner at RSM, based at their Stoke office from where I head up the national capital allowances team.
I am ably supported by the Chamber’s Growth Hub funding advisor and grants and funding expert, Matt Hustwit.
We were delighted that Glyn Jones, Bank of England deputy agent for the West Midlands could join us at our last meeting. Glynn has been with the Bank of England for 10 years and prior to that was lead economist at the regional development agency, Advantage west Midlands.
Glyn led a discussion on the economy both current and future considering the pandemic. Whilst the easing of lockdown measures provides businesses with light at the end of the tunnel, members of the forum felt that continued support by the Government is essential until the economy is back to full capacity.
We also discussed the budget changes including the new capital allowance super-deduction which was welcomed by the forum. This should encourage capital investment by businesses in Staffordshire as lock down measures are eased.
The announcement of an increase in the corporation tax rate from 19 per cent to 25 per cent from April 2023 was expected, however protection of small businesses with the continuation of the 19 per cent rate for profits less than £50,000 was a welcome boost for small firms.
We are also fortunate to have Ryan Cartwright of the British Business Bank as a forum member. The British Business Bank is a government-owned business development bank dedicated to making finance markets work better for smaller businesses. They facilitate finance to start a business, grow to the next level, or to innovate and stay ahead of the competition.
Going forward the forum will be occupied by how firms are going to move on once all the government support comes to an end. We will continue to formulate our representation and lobbying activity to government as part of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) network.
We are always keen to welcome new forum members so that we have representation from all shapes and sizes of business in all sectors. We meet quarterly and meetings usually last for about two hours maximum.
If you would like to find out more about what we do or are considering joining the Money Matters Forum, please email Matt Hustwit: matt.hustwit@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
If you want to talk about any business issues, you can call the Chambers switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
To join the Forum discussion click here Hot Topics — Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
- Published in News
Manufacturing Forum Blog
A blog by Tom Nadin
Acting chair of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Manufacturing Forum
The focus of the Manufacturing Forum during the last year has been on dealing with life during the pandemic and post Brexit whilst looking forward to what resources the sector needs survive post-Covid19 as well as finding a way forward with our new trade relationship with the EU.
Funding and financial support has, and continues to be, near the top of the agenda for our meetings as we made sense of the Government’s Jobs Retention Scheme and the plethora of loans, grants and schemes brought in by the government to help business through successive periods of lockdown.
At the end of March 2021, the Chambers held the Staffordshire Manufacturing Expo in conjunction with Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub. This prestigious online event featured support sessions from Staffordshire and Keele Universities, the Growth Hub, the Skills Hub and the DIT.
Special guest presenter was Adrian Painter, MD of Stoke based 3D printing industry leaders Tri-Tech 3D. Ian gave an overview of their technology and its application in several sectors including automotive, aerospace, animation, general manufacturing, and many more.
Rob Lawley, head of international trade at the Chambers, has attended meetings in the past to update the group on the export situation with the EU, post-Brexit. The fact that the UK and EU only signed a deal on 24th December, leaving a matter of days in between the Christmas and New Year meant business has had to pick up the pieces of a chaotic start to our new relationship with EU.
Rob and his team have literally worked seven days a week since January to ensure the customs declarations paperwork was in place and to offer the necessary guidance for the new arrangements.
The ability to continue trading with the EU and dealing with supply chain issues are unfortunately topics that are not going away any time soon. Therefore, dissemination of as much information and guidance to help manufacturers remains a priority. The Chambers has a wealth of information available both online and through contacting the international trade team.
Another topic that occupies the forum is the Skills agenda. Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Skills Hub headed by Suzanne Quinn, have done a fantastic job, working with hundreds of Staffordshire businesses, facilitating training relevant to each organisation, and providing significant funding to offset costs.
The Manufacturing Forum is grasping the opportunity to shape the skills agenda so that we get the right tools for the job and help the next generation take the sector forwards.
Equally important in this quest is take up of apprenticeships and placements through the Kickstart scheme which offers fully funded six-month work placements for 18–24-year-olds up to the end of 2022.
You will see that there is a lot of work to do to ensure our manufacturing sector maintains its competitive edge. We are always keen to welcome new forum members so that we have representation from all shapes and sizes of manufacturing and engineering businesses. We meet quarterly and meetings usually last for about two hours maximum.
If you would like to find out more about what we do or are considering joining the Manufacturing Forum, please email me: tom.nadin@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
If you want to talk about any business issues, you can call the Chambers switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
To join the Forum discussion click here Hot Topics — Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
- Published in News
HS2 Forum Blog
A blog by Lee White
Chair of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce HS2 Forum
HS2, although not stopping in the county, will have an impact on our existing rail services. As a forum we are campaigning for the maintenance of, and improvements to the railway links to Stoke and Stafford so that Staffordshire is not disadvantaged by HS2. We certainly do not want to see any downgrading to services to London, Birmingham, and Manchester in capacity, speed, and frequency. This includes much needed improvements to the Derby to Crewe service which runs via Stoke-on-Trent.
We also want to see efficient delivery of the construction phase which utilises regional suppliers and causes minimum disruption to existing transport networks, businesses, and Staffordshire residents.
In March of this year 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.
It is great news that 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 be further seminars and other events run by HS2 in partnership with the Chambers and other organisations which we will publicise through all the Chamber’s channels as they arise.
I hope this gives a flavour of the HS2 Forum and its objectives. If you would like to know more, and if you would consider joining us to support our endeavours, please email Declan Riddell: declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
If you want to talk about any business issues, you can call the Chambers switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
To join the Forum discussion click here Hot Topics — Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
- Published in News
HR, Employment and Skills Forum
The post Covid workplace – evolution or revolution?
A blog by Caroline Brown
Chair of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce HR, Employment and Skills Forum
‘It will be nice to get back to normal again.’ You hear it all the time.
The truth is that post-Covid-19, normal as we know it will not exist, normal will be what we decide we want it to be.
The pandemic and the enforced lockdown pushed us all into new ways of working in a matter of days. Bringing on changes that were seen as years or even decades away.
The Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce HR, Employment and Skills Forum has been considering the impact of the pandemic on organisational and operational models.
We have discussed the effects on the place of work, re-writing HR policy documents, leadership and management in a virtual/hybrid world, health and safety implications, frontline worker recovery, the skills agenda, resource implications and much more.
A recent report from the CIPD entitled Embedding new ways of working post-pandemic shows that some 40 percent of employers said they expect more than half their workforce to work regularly from home after the pandemic has ended. According to data from the Office of National Statistics, prior to COVID-19 only around five percent of the workforce worked mainly from home. The pandemic, and government mandates for people to stay at home, increased this significantly. However, according to CIPD research, before the pandemic, 65 percent of employers either did not offer regular working from home at all or offered it to 10 percent or less of their workforce. After the crisis, that 65 percent is expected to fall dramatically to 37 percent. This represents a significant shift in ways of working which organisations will need to prepare for. You can read the full CIPD report here: https://bit.ly/3ee0Ntu
Every organisation, small, medium, or large needs to review and evaluate their aims and formulate a policy to deal with this. There is no single way to implement hybrid working, and its exact form is likely to vary from organisation to organisation. The priority of the HR, Employment and Skills Forum, therefore, is to look at potential approaches towards a more hybrid future, considering the who, what where, when, and how approach.
The Chambers have a wealth of resource and tools for managers to help in shaping employment policy including the Quest online HR policy manual and dedicated helpline.
I would personally like to offer an invitation to anyone involved in HR and people management to come along to the forum get involved in the discussion. This is a crucial time for business, but if we get this right, it will have a such a positive impact on both the way we work and the local economy.
Everything I have talked about so far will be underpinned by having the right skills, for managers and employees. Suzanne Quinn from the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Skills Hub sits on the forum and she relies heavily on input from local organisations to shape their offering. The forum offers the ideal platform to shape the skills agenda.
If you would like to find out more about what we do or are considering joining the HR, Employment and Skills Forum, please email Suzanne Quinn: suzanne.quinn@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
If you want to talk about any business issues, you can call the Chambers switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
To join the Forum discussion click here Hot Topics — Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
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