Chamber News

Technology Giants Nick Wilson Vice President of Enterprise group and Managing Director of HP UK and Ireland Peter Ford Head of Service Provider Director, IBSG Emerging Markets Cisco Systems Ltd will be joining a strong line up of local entrepreneur speakers at the Norfolk Chamber’s technology event Be Better @ Online on 19th September at the Forum in Norwich.

The expert line up of national and local speakers will help Norfolk’s business community big and small get to grips with where technology is going in the future and as important give them the tool to ensure that their online activity is reaching the right customers and getting the right results.

Nick Wilson and Peter Ford will highlight what HP and Cisco are doing to help businesses be more successful and how they see the world of technology changing.

Expert local speaker from Further, The SEO Geek, Square Social, Archant and 101 Media will show through real practical examples and advice, how to be better at online networking, engaging website, selling through social media and email marketing.

Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said:

“It seems amazing that only two years ago I was fretting about what to do about social media and so created the first of our annual technology events to help me find the answers and to assist the wider business community find theirs. On the back of that event the Chamber created a new website and by using what we learnt then and at our 2012 technology event the Chamber now does significant business through our website and by using social media.

We are very excited to have such a strong line up of national and local speaker in Norwich at our annual ‘be better @online technology event this year, to learn practical examples which we can implement straightway to better our business but as importantly to help us to may the right decision as to how to move forward to the all important next stage. This event is a great opportunity for all sized businesses with an appetite to grow “

Be better@online 19 September, 2013 at The Forum Norwich. All details ‘be better @online

Commenting on the publication of an independent review of infrastructure by Sir John Armitt, chairman of the Olympic Development Authority, Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber, said:

“Infrastructure allows Norfolk business to function. Yet for too many decades, we’ve seen plan after plan, strategy after strategy – but little delivery on the ground.

“Sir John Armitt is one of the few people in Britain who knows what it really takes to deliver a major project, and his new report sets out some welcome ideas on how to break our infrastructure logjam.

“An independent infrastructure commission could help end what we call ‘Stop-Start’ Britain, and promote greater business investment. Our infrastructure needs, from roads to rails to airports to major energy projects, should be assessed by real experts. Politicians should be in the hot seat to deliver infrastructure projects, rather than just debating it endlessly.”

At a recent meeting of the Norfolk Chamber’s Planning & Development Group, a discussion was held with Norfolk’s local authorities and New Anglia LEP, on how to better promote Norfolk to developers and inward investors from both within the UK and overseas. Recent improvements to infrastructure such as the A11 and the real signs of recovery in the economy, make now the ideal time to undertake a coordinated marketing campaign to really promote and push the benefits of the region.

Existing initiatives such as the East of England Energy Zone; Norwich Research Park; to name but a few are starting to gather momentum. There is also the exciting prospect of a City Deal for Norwich. Norfolk is also leading the way on a low carbon economy, being an energy exporter as well as being a key player in the future delivery of offshore renewables. Norfolk and Norwich also has some fantastic cultural offerings, such as the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, the historic city centre and the Norfolk Broads. Norwich has a strong retail centre, not only providing for the needs of the city, but also providing an attractive shopping destination for visitors from further afield.

Unlike Manchester and Birmingham, who have successfully marketed themselves and their outlying locales on the national and international stages, Norfolk does do not have just one central focal point – we need to be a lot more visible as a county. The region needs to have a strong Brand that everybody of all ages can get behind and believe. Each of the local authorities currently has a very restricted budget for economic development and it is therefore essential that the region gets the best value for money out of these resources. Norfolk has a lot to offer and we need to have a united, credible message to do this.

The group went on to discuss what that Brand should be. Does Norfolk have a large enough offering on its own or should the Brand be across both Norfolk and Suffolk, thereby widening the opportunities? If this approach was used, then ‘New Anglia’ could be the Brand – however it was felt that this would need a very clear marketing message to ensure the Brand was recognisable.

The group also acknowledged the need to ensure that existing Norfolk based businesses were fully supported by a robust customer care programme. The existing business community is just as important to the economic growth of Norfolk, as attracting new inward investment.

An opportunity for Norfolk to put itself on the map, would be to attend a large international trade fair/exhibition i.e. MIPIM, which is an annual property exhibition that is held every year in Cannes and attracts worldwide interest from developers and investors. All of the main cities in the UK have stands such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Derby, Bristol and the North East to promote themselves. Over the years these have changed from individual city stands to being more coordinated approaches from regions, often promoted by the LEP supported by local businesses.

The whole of the Eastern Region is currently not visible in this arena, meaning that either international investors are either not aware of the opportunities in the region, or potentially worse, they invest in another region in the UK. Costs for an individual company or organisation to take a stand at one of these events can often be high, so a joint stand approach between Norfolk, Suffolk and even potentially Cambridge could be a more viable option. A logical facilitator for this could be the New Anglia LEP, who has the cross-county reach and may have access to possible funding for such a project.

Jonathan Cage, chair of the Planning & Development Group said “Norfolk needs to be ready to take advantage of any and all opportunities. A unified approach across the county would help put Norfolk on the map and give potential investors confidence to bring their business to Norfolk, targeting an event such as MIPIM would give the region something to go for and would pull together public and private sector expertise and resources to really put the County on the global map.”

Norfolk County Council has launched a Budget Simulator to assist them to tackle the three-year funding gap of £182m and try to balance the 2014/15 budget whilst still protecting key services.

Any Norfolk resident can take up the challenge using the council’s online Budget Simulator that has been launched ahead of the Council’s formal budget consultation that will begin later in September. The Simulator is intended to give people an understanding of the challenges facing the County Council.

The Simulator’s starting point is that if Norfolk County Council continues to spend the same amount on services as it does now, there would be a £73m shortfall (8.8%) next year (2014/15)*, part of a £182m funding gap over the next three years. This is because of cuts in Government funding, increased costs and higher service demand.

The Simulator presents six service area themes: Adult Social Care, Environment, Transport & Development, Cultural Services, Organisational Services, Children’s Services and Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service. Within these themes are a number of services where the budget can be cut, kept the same, or increased – but the overall spend has to be reduced by 8.8%. Once the budget has been balanced, the Simulator provides a glimpse of possible service consequences that could flow from the decisions that have been taken.

Steve Morphew, Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate and Personnel, said: “The tough decisions are impossible to avoid with funding cuts on this scale. We have to get our house in order to make sure we are getting the best for the people of our county and spending the reduced amounts wisely, but there is no escaping the fact that the prospects for the next three years are grim.

“We can’t hope to please all of the people all of the time. The only way we can hope to reflect the needs and priorities for our communities is to engage in an informed debate with as many people as possible – not just those whose voices are always heard and sometimes drown out those who can’t shout as loud.

“We hope the Simulator will be an easier way to get an understanding of what gets spent and how spending different proportions on different priorities affects the overall budget. It is intended to help individuals and organisations get ready for the consultation that starts later this month.

“The council budget can be sprawling, detailed and complex. Instead of using that as an excuse we are trying to find ways of helping people understand and get involved in deciding spending priorities. We are launching this under the banner ‘Norfolk – Putting People First’ so our first job is to make sure people can be heard.”

Click here to go to the Budget Simulator Challenge

The Quarter 2, 2013 Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) reported that the Norfolk manufacturing export figures remained strong, with both sales and orders increasing during the quarter. The Norfolk service sector export balances dipped, but still showed robust figures, which were considerably higher than the national levels. Both sectors had tried to recruit over the last 3 months and both were forecasting further recruitment in the next 3 months.

Caroline Williams, CEO of Norfolk Chamber said: “The sheer strength of the last quarter’s export balances showed that Norfolk companies have untapped potential in which to expand. However, it must be recognised that recovery will only be ‘turbo-charged’, if we can create a truly enterprise-friendly economy in Norfolk.”

The British Chambers of Commerce QES is used by both the Bank of England and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to plan the future of the UK economy. The survey takes less than 3 minutes to complete online, so please take the time to input into this important survey to ensure Norfolk businesses have a voice and are heard at a national level. The survey needs to be completed by Monday 16 September 2013. Click here to complete the quick survey.

• In July 2013 public sector net borrowing, excluding the effects of transfers from the QE scheme, was £0.5bn, £1.3bn higher than in July 2012 when it was -£0.8bn (a surplus)
• Public sector net debt in July 2013 was 74.5% of GDP

Commenting on the Public Sector Finances for July 2013, published today by the ONS, David Kern, Chief Economist at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said:

“Various adjustments introduced this year, such as the exclusion of transfers from the Bank’s QE scheme, make it difficult to compare underlying trends in our public finances. However, the figures point to a slight deterioration, which is worse than expected. July is one of the main months of the year for generating tax receipts and is often in surplus, but this time we are seeing a small deficit. This shortfall could be a result of significant falls in our oil and gas reserves and the weakening of our financial sector. Despite this, we are still early in the financial year and if the economy continues to improve we could see a more meaningful reduction in the deficit in the months ahead.

“But challenges still remain and the government must continue with its plan to stabilise our public finances. While continuing with cuts in current public spending, the government must shift priorities towards measures to boost growth, such as investment in infrastructure projects that will help the economy continue to recover in the medium-term.”

Norwich City Council is currently holding a consultation on their draft Economic strategy for the Norwich urban area, which looks towards the next five years (2013-18).

Essentially, the strategy will provide strategic guidance and sets out how Norwich City Council, working with the business community and with our local partners, will focus activity and resources to stimulate economic activity and jobs growth.

This consultation period runs until Tuesday 3 September 2013, so you only have 1 week left to submit your views. To have your say and to view the full draft Economic strategy 2013-18 click here.

• Retail sales volumes for July 2013: up 1.1% on the month; up 3.0% on the year
• There was strong growth in supermarket sales, boosted by the sunny weather
• The share of internet sales within total sales continues to increase

Commenting on the retail sales figures for July 2013, published today by the ONS, David Kern, Chief Economist at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said:

“We are now seeing a clear upward trend in retail sales, and these figures suggest that the pace of GDP growth in the third quarter will continue at a modest pace. Some commentators have suggested that strong retail sales, while other areas of the economy remain weak, will lead to an unbalanced economic structure. We don’t share these concerns, as although we would like to see more growth coming from investment and net trade, it is better to rely initially on domestic demand than to have no growth at all. And while net exports are not as strong as we would like, there is an improvement – a point that many commentators ignore. To maintain business confidence we should focus on the positive features of our economy. In addition, increasing the flow of credit to growing businesses and keeping inflation low will help to gradually rebalance the economy.”

Read updates issued by the Export Control Organisation including details about imposition of arms embargoes, Open General Export Licence amendments or announcements about Control List changes.

Notice to Exporters 2013/21 The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has decided to grant an Open General Export Licence (OGEL) in support of the Joint Strike Fighter project (JSF, also known as F-35 or Lightning II). The Export Control Organisation is finalising the draft of this OGEL. We expect to publish it by the middle of October.

• Retail sales volumes for July 2013: up 1.1% on the month; up 3.0% on the year
• There was strong growth in supermarket sales, boosted by the sunny weather
• The share of internet sales within total sales continues to increase

Commenting on the retail sales figures for July 2013, published today by the ONS, David Kern, Chief Economist at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said:

“We are now seeing a clear upward trend in retail sales, and these figures suggest that the pace of GDP growth in the third quarter will continue at a modest pace. Some commentators have suggested that strong retail sales, while other areas of the economy remain weak, will lead to an unbalanced economic structure. We don’t share these concerns, as although we would like to see more growth coming from investment and net trade, it is better to rely initially on domestic demand than to have no growth at all. And while net exports are not as strong as we would like, there is an improvement – a point that many commentators ignore. To maintain business confidence we should focus on the positive features of our economy. In addition, increasing the flow of credit to growing businesses and keeping inflation low will help to gradually rebalance the economy.”

The Bank of England Agents’ summary for August highlighted that construction output has strengthened, as activity in the housing market has picked up. Investment intentions point to only modest growth in capital spending and domestic growth in manufacturing output is unchanged. Employment intentions point to a slight increase in staffing levels over the coming months. To read the report in full click here.

• UK deficit on trade in goods and services was £1.5bn in June compared with a deficit of £2.6bn in May
• There was a deficit of £8.1bn on goods, partly offset by a surplus of £6.5bn in services: both the goods and the service trade balances improved between May and June
• There was a significant improvement in Britain’s performance on trade in goods with countries outside the European Union

Commenting on the trade figures for June published today by the ONS, Tracey Howard, International Trade Director at Norfolk Chamber, said: “The large fall in Britain’s trade deficit is yet more positive news for the economy, with longer-term comparisons signaling an improvement in the UK’s trading performance. Britain’s exporters are now starting to focus more on trade with countries outside the EU.

This is particularly encouraging as these countries are growing at a faster rate and will be the ones that provide the greatest opportunities for Norfolk exporters. Local exporters can find out more about these countries by attending the Chamber’s ‘Better Exporting’ event series. The focus will be on India, Brazil, Qatar, Russia, South Africa and Vietnam.

The series will provide information on these fast growing countries, including details on the stability of the market and the business opportunities available there. The important cultural aspects that you need to be aware of when speaking to and visiting prospective clients, will also be covered. Tips and advice on what to look out for will also be shared by a local company, who is already trading in that particular country.

Commenting further on the June ONS trade figures, David Kern, Chief Economist at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: “Despite these improvements, our trade deficit is still too large and we aren’t making enough progress in rebalancing our economy towards net exports. Our recent surveys reveal huge untapped potential among British exporters, especially in the service sector, and unleashing this potential will help to secure a sustainable recovery. The government must seize this momentum and do more to help British exporters penetrate new markets and compete on a level playing field in key areas such as trade finance, insurance and promotion.”

The first ‘Better Exporting’ event will be held on Tuesday 15 October at Dunston Hall from 3.45pm – 6.45pm and series is sponsored by UKTI and Dunston Hall Hotel. Full details of the events can be found on the Norfolk Chamber website: www.norfolkchamber.co.uk.