Chamber

Now entering its tenth year, the Norfolk Safer Community Awards offer the opportunity to support the excellent work of police officers, police staff and the community in helping to keep Norfolk a safe place to live, work and visit. Once again this year the Norfolk Chamber a proudly sponsoring The Chief Constable’s Special Recognition Award, this is awarded to an individual or team where their contribution to delivering the Constabulary’s performance has been significant yet under-recognised. The awards combine internal recognition with local communities voting for officers deserving of an award for their contributions to their local community. Additionally, if people know of an exceptional individual or group who deserve to be thanked they are encouraged to nominate them for an award. Jason Williams, Business Manager at the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said:

“We have been honoured to support the NOSCAs for many years and are again proud to support the Chief Constable’s Special Recognition Award, as part ofour partnership working with Norfolk Constabulary. We congratulate all nominees for the contribution they have made and their continual efforts in ensuring Norfolk is a safe place to live and work.” 

More information on the award can be found here: https://www.noscas.co.uk/ 

Commenting on today’s interest rate decision by the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said:

“Norfolk Chamber’s preferred outcome was for a further period of monetary stability, with interest rates steady over the near term. Today’s quarter point rise may have little effect on most Norfolk companies, but many will view this as the first step in a longer policy movement – not as a simple reversal of last year’s cut.  This may also result in some organisations postponing their investment plans, whilst economic uncertainty continues to cause concern.”

Also commenting on the MPC decision, Mike Spicer, Director of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:

 “These are challenging times for monetary policymakers. The MPC had the unenviable task of weighing future risks to inflation, from a tight – and tightening – labour market, pass-through from a weaker pound and rising commodity prices. Against this, they needed to consider the future risks to under-shooting the inflation target from weak growth, fragile business confidence, and the effects of uncertainty.

“These are finely-balanced judgements: while interest rates will need to return to historic averages at some point, it should be done slowly and with reference to the ever-changing economic context.

“With the Bank of England’s latest forecasts of sluggish growth for the next few years, the government must use the upcoming Autumn Budget to boost business confidence and investment, and reduce the pressure on prices from policy decisions such as the forthcoming hike in business rates.”

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has set out 10 steps for reducing delays at UK-EU borders after Brexit. Top of the list – and described by the Association as essential – is the need to ensure that all customs and security documentation is paperless.

In practice, the FTA argues, that means not only ensuring that the new HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Customs Declaration System (CDS) can process the estimated 250 million additional declarations required, but also that traders are able to access and use it from day one.

The FTA also wants to see an approved exporter system developed, which would be recognised by the EU and which would enable authorised companies to avoid producing documents for each consignment.

Furthermore, given the need for any trader doing business outside the EU to have an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number, UK businesses must be provided with them ahead of Brexit.

Pointing out that it currently takes between one and three days for HMRC to process EORI applications, the FTA is calling for the authorisation process to be speeded up.

“Trade is not something that can simply sort itself out at the last minute,” the Association’s James Hookham pointed out.

Without a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU and a new customs agreement, UK businesses face a very difficult trading environment post-Brexit, he warned.

Both the UK and EU negotiating team owe it to businesses on both sides of the Channel to find solutions now, before trade grinds to a halt, Mr Hookham concluded.

The FTA’s paper Keep Britain Trading: 10 Ways to Make Customs Borders Work After Brexit can be found at www.fta.co.uk.

For more information about Certificates of Origin and other documentation you may require, please contact us on 01603 729712 or email export@norfolkchamber.co.uk.

On Thursday 9th November, over 60 delegates joined us for a business breakfast at the Great Yarmouth Racecourse. Delegates enjoyed coffee on arrival and time to network before the morning was started off by Chris Sargisson Chief Executive of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce. Chris highlighted that the Norfolk Chamber are fully supporting the dualling of the A47.

Once breakfast was served David Powles, Editor for the EDP, facilitated the presentations and discussions from the A47 Alliance campaign.  David advised that the EDP would be fully supporting the A47 Alliance’s campaign and said: “For too long Norfolk has been held up by poor transport. Unreliable roads means the county doesn’t function as the gateway to growth that it should be.”

Outlining the A47 Alliance’s plans for the future, Cllr Martin Wilby, Chair of the A47 Alliance and David Cumming, Principal Infrastructure Growth Planner for Norfolk County Council, highlighted how improvements to the A47 would impact Norfolk businesses in the years to come.  Cllr Martin Wilby, said:  “We’re desperate for investment along the A47 to support business and tourism.”

The morning was concluded with Q&A session with a panel including Cllr Martin Wilby, David Cumming and Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager at Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.  Questions included: ‘How can the businesses support the campaign to dual the A47?’

Commenting on the need to fully dual the A47, Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber said: 

“Norfolk’s infrastructure has lagged behind the rest of the UK and we should be unapologetic in voicing our infrastructure needs.  Norfolk Chamber will continue to rally its members and lobby hard to achieve the goal of fully dualling the A47.  It is already evident that poor infrastructure is restricting business growth in Norfolk.  Improvements along the A47 will help the local business community deliver greater economic growth and jobs for our region.

“The Norfolk business community can show their support for A47 improvements by signing up to the online campaign by the Norfolk Chamber, which will help build the business case for further funding to deliver more improvements to the A47.  Sign up now.

The Norfolk Chamber events team helped coordinate another successful and lively Your Future Careers event at Flegg High on Wednesday 22nd March. The event was attended by over 300 students from years 9 and 10 who all congregated at the main school hall to engage with local businesses about the careers available in a variety of sectors. Amongst the 16 businesses and higher education providers who donated some of their type to educate the students were Barclays, East Norfolk Sixth Form, UEA and Army Careers.

As well as the careers exhibition which took place, there were also a number of workshops which allowed the students to gain a more in depth insight into careers within healthcare and engineering. Workshop providers included Ian Robertson from SeaJacks, Paul Martin an NHS ambassador and David Sedgwick from KLM.

Overall, the event provided a valuable platform for businesses to enthuse and educate students about the work they do and the career paths students could potentially aim for when they reach school leaving age. Many students displayed a keen curiosity for the work the company’s do, with businesses commenting on how many insightful questions they all had. It also incited the students to consider what they may potentially like their futures to include, whether that be becoming an offshore engineer at SeaJacks, an apprentice at the NHS or attending one of the many colleges in their local area.

If you are interested in representing your business and enthusing young people about a career in your sector, please click here to register your interest.

We have the following careers events coming up:

Thetford Academy Careers Event – Thursday, 11 May, 2017, 12:30 – 15:45

Wymondham High Careers Event – Monday, 3 July, 2017, 09:30 – 13:30

Great Yarmouth Chamber Council members heard from Scottish Power’s Stakeholder Manager, Joanna Young, this week, who provided a progress report on their East Anglia Offshore wind projects.

East Anglia ONE offshore windfarm will provide 714 MW of new cleaner capacity and is currently under construction.  Landfall is expected in early 2018 and the turbines completed by 2019.  First power generation is also expected in 2019 and the windfarm will be fully operational by 2020. 

It is estimated that the project will support 3,000 direct construction jobs and the onshore work will support over 1,000 jobs.  Long term, it is expected to deliver 100+ O&M jobs for Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

Joanna also outlined Scottish Power’s plans for their future projects, East Anglia THREE, East Anglia TWO and East Anglia ONE North:

East Anglia THREE

• 1,200 MW powering up to 1 million homes
• 172 turbines
• Using cable ducts laid by EA ONE
• 2022: Construction planned to commence
• 2025: Expected to be fully operational

East Anglia TWO

• 900 MW powering up to 740,000 homes
• Up to 75 turbines
• 2024: Construction planned to commence

East Anglia ONE North

• 800 MW powering up to 740,000 homes
• Up to 67 turbines
• 2025: Construction planned to commence

All the East Anglia offshore wind projects are required to use percentage of local supply contractors, and whilst East Anglia ONE is already under construction and has appointed the Tier 1 suppliers, there are still more opportunities for a wide range of local businesses.

Joanna outlined that the forthcoming projects: THREE, TWO and ONE North still need a diverse range of local suppliers from land agents and lawyers, to marine services, construction, engineering, programmers and designers.

To find out more information on how your business can access the Scottish Power supply chain, click here.

Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget focused on shoring up the UK economy, with measures including planned increases to the national minimum wage and expanded free apprenticeships for under-25s. While these steps may help tackle skills shortages and improve job prospects, rising labour costs and insufficient long-term infrastructure investment in the region pose challenges for business growth.

Nova Fairbank, Chief Executive, Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, said:

“The Chancellor’s Budget today held absolutely no surprises and certainly no ‘rabbits out of hats’ for the Norfolk business community.  Businesses across our region were looking for the government to demonstrate their long-term thinking and clarity on their plans, in order for those businesses to be able to commit to their own strategic investment decisions, that will ultimately drive economic growth and jobs.

“What we heard today was a shoring up of the UK economy, in terms of reducing our overall long-term debt and the repeating of existing funding announcements, such as the Lower Thames Crossing, plus some tinkering around the financial edges.  Small and Medium Size businesses (SMEs) will welcome the expanding of the offering of free apprenticeships for the under 25s (under 21 apprenticeships were already free) and the permanently lower business tax rates levels for those businesses in the hospitality sector.  Employees across our region will also welcome the increase in National minimum wage of 85p per hour for those aged 18 – 20 and an additional 50p for those over 21 years old.  However, SMEs now have to find the additional funding in their already tight budgets to afford this further wage rise.

“Again, the East of England was pretty much ignored in terms infrastructure investment i.e. no funding for the Ely/Haughley rail junctions, which would have supported both passenger and freight growth and nothing for the further dualling of the A47, including the Acle Straight.   But home-owners will welcome cuts in the cost of energy and employers and their employees will welcome caps on bus fares and the freezing of rail fares which puts a hold the cost of the commuting to work.

“So all in all a relatively safe budget, that gives UK PLC better long-term financial stability, but very little in terms of clearing the path to support businesses to deliver growth.”

 

Norfolk Chambers is delighted to announce that National Grid has joined as a Gold Patron.

National Grid’s Gold Patronage demonstrates their dedication to supporting the regional business community through their extensive community engagement and social value initiatives.

National Grid brings valuable energy sector expertise to bear on critical infrastructure challenges facing Norfolk and will work collaboratively with our members to address regional priorities.

The partnership comes at a crucial time as National Grid delivers The Great Grid Upgrade, the largest investment in the UK’s electricity network for generations, which will have significant benefits for Norfolk’s economy, sustainability and future growth.

Jack Weaver, COO of Norfolk Chambers, said: “Our members frequently tell us that infrastructure improvements and tackling the regional skills challenge are two of their highest priorities.

“Welcoming National Grid into our membership as a Gold Patron is a fantastic opportunity to bring their energy sector expertise to bear on both regional priorities.

“The Great Grid Upgrade is a generational shift in how energy is distributed around the region, and we’re excited to be working with them to ensure our business community benefits from the direct capital investment in infrastructure, alongside their knowledge and support for economic growth, jobs and positive social outcomes.”

Andy Mower, National Grid’s Regional External Affairs Manager, said: “We’re delighted to join the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce and to work with its members to support the county’s growth, sustainability and innovation.

“National Grid is upgrading the electricity network across the country through The Great Grid Upgrade – the biggest investment in the UK’s electricity network for generations.

“The Norwich to Tilbury project will help deliver more clean, secure and affordable energy to homes, businesses and public services in Norfolk and beyond. By strengthening the network, the project will support the UK’s shift away from imported fossil fuels, improve energy security and attract clean industries and investment in skills and local jobs.”

About National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade

The Great Grid Upgrade is a multi-billion pound investment programme to modernise and expand Britain’s electricity transmission network. The Norwich to Tilbury project is a key part of this upgrade, strengthening connections between Norfolk and the South East to enable the transition to cleaner energy, support economic growth, and enhance energy security for homes and businesses across the region.

About Gold Patronage with Norfolk Chambers

Gold Patronage represents the highest level of partnership with Norfolk Chambers, providing organisations with enhanced opportunities to engage with the business community, influence regional priorities, and demonstrate their commitment to Norfolk’s economic development. Gold Patrons work closely with Chamber leadership and members to address strategic challenges and create positive outcomes for businesses across the county.

For more information about Gold Patronage please visit: https://norfolkchamber.co.uk/homepage/about-membership/gold-patronage/

 

Now we may be biased, but we wholeheartedly believe that Norfolk is a great place to work. And we’re not alone in that view… The Daily Express has recently published a series of articles that shine a spotlight on what makes Norwich and Norfolk such special places to live, work, and do business.

The newspaper’s coverage over the festive period highlighted Norwich’s recognition as the UK’s kindest city, celebrated its remarkable collection of over 300 independent shops thriving alongside major retailers, and featured our member Jarrolds, recently crowned best independent department store for the second consecutive year at the Drapers Independents Awards.

Norfolk Chambers representatives Jack Weaver and our former CEO Chris Sargisson (who just so happened to be working in the Norfolk Business Hub the day the journalist was in the city) contributed insights that helped showcase the region’s collaborative business community, strong sense of place, and the quality of life that attracts people to stay or return to Norfolk.

 

Read the full Daily Express coverage:

Norwich: The UK’s Kindest City

Norwich’s Vibrant Independent Retail Scene

Jarrolds: Award-Winning Independent Department Store

 

Why we love working in Norfolk

But don’t just take the Daily Express’s word for it. Our own team members are passionate advocates for working in the county, and their experiences echo many of the themes explored in the articles.

Adam Cracknell, Marketing Manager at Norfolk Chambers, says: “I previously took the early commute into London, but I’ve always lived right here in Norfolk, which I’m proud to call home. The Daily Express articles really captured what makes this place special, that sense of community and quality of life that Jack and Chris talked about. I’m now really happy to be permanently based here and very happy not to be commuting away from our fine city every day. Norwich has everything you need without the stress and sprawl of London.”

Jacob Percy-Griffiths, Customer Experience Manager at Norfolk Chambers, shares: “I joined up with Norfolk Chambers last year and have the pleasure of working with a varied range of businesses, large and small. The articles really hit the nail on the head when they highlighted Norwich’s vibrant and diverse economy. I’ve been genuinely impressed with the breadth of industries and sectors represented here, from the independent retail scene the Daily Express featured so prominently, to innovative tech companies and everything in between. It’s that blend of traditional and contemporary that makes Norfolk such an exciting place to build a career, and here at Norfolk Chambers I get to experience that diversity first-hand every single day.

Haze Carver, Creative Digital Manager, adds: “I’ve established a wide network of members that I’m delighted to call friends. The Daily Express described Norwich as the UK’s kindest city, and I’ve experienced that first-hand across the business community. I was at the Chambers during the difficult times of Covid, and what really impressed me during those challenging days was how much the Norfolk business community came together to support each other. That collaborative spirit that is mentioned in the articles, where competitors work together for the greater good, isn’t just talk – it’s real. After living in London for 20+ years, working in Norfolk genuinely feels so different from anywhere else I’ve experienced.”

 

Share your Norfolk story

Do you love living and working in Norfolk?

We’d love to hear from you. Visit the Norfolk Ambassadors website to share why you’re proud to call Norfolk home and help us spread the word about our wonderful county.

Visit the Norfolk Ambassadors website to find out more.