Chamber News

• GDP growth in Q1 2013: +0.3% on the quarter, +0.7% year on year
• Services growth: +0.6% on the quarter, +1.5% on the year
• Manufacturing growth: -0.3% on the quarter, -2.1% on the year

Commenting on the preliminary GDP figures for Q1 2013, published today by the ONS, Caroline Williams, CEO, Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, said:

“The fact that the UK economy avoided negative growth is encouraging and will boost confidence here in Norfolk. As the BCC latest economic survey shows, it is the services sector that is the main component of recent growth. More must be done to support the construction sector and housing growth in general, these areas would benefit from clear guidelines in terms of planning regulations.

Improved infrastructure is also needed and Norfolk businesses need to continue lobby for improvements to the NDR, the A47 and also rail improvements from both Norwich and King’s Lynn to London, as well as continued pressure to ensure broadband improvements are delivered on time. Despite Norfolk businesses ‘holding their nerve’ and continuing to strive for growth, the Norfolk economy is still unacceptably weak, and will remain so without radical measures to get the economy moving.”

Commenting on the preliminary GDP figures for Q1 2013, published today by the ONS, John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:

“While we still believe that the government should stick to its current fiscal reduction plan, there is a need for a more promising growth strategy. We know that businesses are determined and ambitious, and want to drive growth in the face of significant economic headwinds, but they can’t do this alone. The government must consider a significant shift in priorities to boost growth within the existing spending envelope, by allocating more current spending towards capital investment over the next few years.”

David Kern, Chief Economist at the BCC, added:

“The economy returning to positive growth is not surprising, but welcome nonetheless. We have repeatedly said that talk of a new recession is unwarranted, and our recent quarterly survey also signalled that the economy was in positive territory in the first quarter of this year. The figures also highlight the disparity between growth in the service sector and continued falls in manufacturing and construction in particular, which remain under pressure. While services output is now above its pre-recession levels from 2008, both construction and manufacturing are still lower.

“Economic growth however remains too weak and the economy as a whole is still below its pre-recession levels. But the avoidance of recession will underpin confidence and will make it easier for the government, and for the MPC, to consider future policy moves in a calmer atmosphere. The main priority remains combining a realistic deficit cutting programme with policies that make it possible for the economy to achieve sustainable growth.”

Take on an 18 to 24 year-old who has been claiming benefits for at least six months through Jobcentre Plus and employers can get financial help of up to £2,275, which covers the cost of a year’s national insurance contributions.

How does the wage incentive scheme work?

The wage incentive is available if you employ someone for 16 hours or more each week in a job lasting more than 26 weeks. There are two rates:

• for part-time work between 16 and 29 hours a week – £1,137.50
• for full-time work of 30 hours or more a week – £2,275.

This will be paid 26 weeks after the employee starts work. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees can claim a part payment eight weeks after the employee starts work.

Who can claim a wage incentive?

Wage incentives are primarily available to private, voluntary and community sectors and social enterprise employers. Central government departments, their executive agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) will be excluded from claiming them, however the wider public sector such as NHS trusts, will not.

I’m interested in employing a young person using the wage incentive, what do I do next?

Contact Jobcentre Plus or one of your local Work Programme providers, they will give you further information, advice on the eligibility conditions and support to identify the right person.

Employing a young person using a wage incentive through the Work ProgrammeLocal Work Programme providers contact details

Employing a young person using a wage incentive through Jobcentre Plus

• Phone: 0845 601 2001 (option 2)
• Text phone: 0845 601 2002 for people with speech or hearing impairments

How can I claim the wage incentive?

When the young person starts with you, the Work Programme provider or Jobcentre Plus, will issue a wage incentive claim form and give you more details on how and when to make the claim. You will claim the payment from Jobcentre Plus who will validate the claim and make the payment directly into the employer’s bank account.

This guide explains how employers can make a claim for a wage incentive, once they have been issued with a claim form.

• How to claim: Youth Contract wage incentives

For full details go to the Department for Work & Pentions website: https://www.dwp.gov.uk/youth-contract/key-initiatives/wage-incentives/

We have today received a CV (see attached) from Norwich City Council, for a candidate from our french twin city of Rouen, who is looking for a short-term work placement.

He is looking for a technician internship in the computing field, within the engineering sector.

If you have a possible gap and can offer him a role within your company, please contact:

Norwich City Council Andy Emms Democratic Services Manager Tel. 01603 212459 Email: andyemms@norwich.gov.uk

The UK is one of Europe’s largest investors in China, and among the largest destinations in Europe for China’s outward investment. As of 2014, China is the world’s second-largest economy. Between 2007 and 2011, China’s economic growth rate was equivalent to all of the G7 countries’ growth combined. China’s success has been primarily due to manufacturing as a low-cost producer. This is attributed to a combination of cheap labour, good infrastructure, relatively high productivity, favourable government policy, and a possibly undervalued exchange rate.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK China’s annual growth rate fell for seven straight quarters through to the third quarter of 2012; however a pick up is forecasted in October-December. With the euro area still in recession and US demand sluggish, the economy faces considerable headwinds. Furthermore, the new leader Xi Jinping and other policy makers are likely to unveil aggressive stimulus this year when they hope to revive an economy seen growing at its weakest pace since 1999.

TRADE OUTLOOK Growth in Chinese exports is expected to be most rapid to other economies in Asia (excluding Japan) over the medium term. Chinese exporters will begin to target new markets for their products in other emerging economies. Export prospects amongst the developed economies appear far more restrained, with the share of exports to Europe expected to decline. The US economy continues to represent the most important market for Chinese exporters in terms of its absolute size. In terms of imports, rest of Asia (excluding Japan) remains the largest with a quarter of total Chinese imports.

OPPORTUNITIES The Chinese Government’s 5-Year Plan, vows to continue reforming the economy. The governmenthas recently focused on financial-sector reform. The modest economic growth will help economicrestructuring as Chinese firms are increasingly under pressure to move up the value chain, creatingdemand for imported manufactured goods in the long term. China will remain an important andviable market for a wide range of products and services. As a result China offers huge opportunitiesfor British companies, particularly in sectors such as food and drink, renewable energy andfinancial services.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Funding awards of over £50,000 are available for projects lasting up to two years. The Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) will encourage the economic development of UK coastal communities by giving them funding to create sustainable economic growth and jobs.

The government has committed £27.8 million to support the CCF in 2013/14 with money generated by the Crown Estate’s marine assets. The Big Lottery Fund is delivering the CCF on behalf of Government, operating under the name Big Fund. CCF is a UK-wide programme but there are some country specific requirements and priorities. Information about these is contained in the help notes to accompany the application form.

The following types of organisation can apply:

• charities
• voluntary and community sector organisations
• social enterprises, including cooperatives and community ownership initiatives
• local authorities
• development agencies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• local enterprise partnerships in England
• private sector companies.

Opening and closing dates for 2013/14The Coastal Communities Fund isopen for applications from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales from12 March 2013. The programme opens for applications from projects in England on 3 April 2013.You can downloadhelp notesand astage one application formthis section of the BIG website as well asquestions & answersand information on State Aid.

Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the country priorities- each country has its own unique requirements and in order to have the best possible chance of getting funding you must demonstrate how you meet these.

Applicants will be required to submit a stage one application by:

13 May 2013 for projects in England.

The strongest applications will then be invited to submit a full application in Summer 2013. More informationhttps://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/northernireland/global-content/programm…

The British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium is preparing for this years Golden Bridge Export Awards and are looking for new applicants.

This is the second edition of the annual awards presented to the most successful UK companies exporting to or doing business in Belgium.

The Awards encourage export from the UK to Belgium and give British products and services a higher profile at the heart of the EU.

The BCC in Belgium work closely with their partners at the British Embassy in Belgium, UK Trade & Investment and the Belgian Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain on this initiative.

It is free to participate in the competition and the deadline for applications is 15 September 2013.

For further information on the awards process and who to contact, please click here.

Please also take a look at the BCC in Belgium flyer relating to their services.

Hallo. I’m Robert Walster of KDM Video Ltd

I’m pleased to be able to communicate with the Chamber members and others via this press release.

So, what do we do? We are a B2B company and our service is to boost your lead generation for your website. We do this by very special video marketing. This is not the place for detail and you should look at our website kdmvideo.com which explains in detail. Why should you take our services? You want more customers don’t you? – A steady stream month after month?

Your company has a website to generate interest and connect to potential customers. How many leads do you get from it? Are they up to expectations and up to original predictions or estimates?

The superior communications present in our video will open up the funnel to gather qualified leads to your website.

Is this expensive? Like any good business service the potential benefit to your company far outweighs our costs.

Study our website kdmvideo.com where all is explained and call me; Robert Walster on 07787604933 to take it further.

We are delighted to announce that Norse has become a Patron the Norfolk Chamber. One of the UK’s most dynamic and fast-growing Facilities Management services providers, Norse has the financial strength so vital in times of economic pressure.

With a strong balance sheet, industry-leading business retention and staff turnover, and 96% customer satisfaction, Norse delivers first-class services that its customers value and trust. Geoff Tucker, Sales Director of Norse said, “As a major contractor of local businesses, and an employer of a wide range of staff skills, Norse is fully committed to supporting the local economy. As part of this support, in the past the company has regularly sponsored and taken part in events and publicity organised by the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.

We firmly believe that by becoming a Patron of the Norfolk Chamber, Norse will be in an even better position to help encourage and facilitate use of the Chamber’s valuable services to enterprises across the county. We are looking forward to playing an increasingly active role with the Chamber in working with Norfolk’s business community.”

• BCC’s EU Business Barometer of more than 4,000 businesses shows support for renegotiation with Europe
• John Longworth: “Companies believe that re-negotiation, rather than further integration or outright withdrawal, is most likely to deliver business and economic benefit to the UK.”

The first major survey of British business following the Prime Minister’s policy speech on Europe in January 2013 has revealed broad support for the re-negotiation of Britain’s relationship with the European Union.

The British Chambers of Commerce’s new “EU Business Barometer”, which gathered responses from nearly 4,400 businesses of all sizes and sectors across the UK, tested five scenarios for Britain’s future relationship with the EU. Respondents were asked to give their view on the potential impact of each scenario on Britain’s business and economic prospects.

The results showed that:

• ‘Remain in the European Union, but with specific powers transferred back from Brussels to Westminster’ received the highest positive impact rating, with 64%. This scenario also received the lowest negative impact rating, with 11%.
• ‘Full withdrawal from the European Union’ received the highest negative impact rating, with 60%.
• Remain in the European Union with no change to current relationship’ received the lowest positive impact rating, with 15%.

The survey also reveals that British business’s “top three” priorities for any re-negotiation of the balance of competences between Brussels and Westminster are 1) employment law (54%), 2) health and safety law (46%), and 3) regional development policies (33%). Other areas where significant numbers of businesses wanted to see change included justice and home affairs policies and public-sector procurement rules.

Commenting on the results, Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber of Commerce , said:

“These results say a lot about the UK business community’s attitudes towards Britain’s relationship with the European Union. Companies believe that re-negotiation, rather than further integration or outright withdrawal, is most likely to deliver business and economic benefit to the UK.

“There are some striking features in the BCC survey of business opinion which included Norfolk businesses. 42%, a plurality, now believe that maintaining the status quo in Britain’s relationship with the EU could have a negative impact on our economic interests – nearly three times as many as the 15% who view the status quo positively. These findings suggest that UK businesses increasingly feel that some sort of change to Britain’s relationship with the EU is needed to boost our trading prospects.

“We now have confirmation of what we’ve suspected for some time: namely, that employment and health and safety are the areas where companies would like to see legislative competence return to Westminster from Brussels. From a business perspective, any re-negotiation of Britain’s relationship with the European Union must therefore focus on these areas which are not integral to the functioning of the Single Market in goods and services.”

Work to extend the Postwick Park and Ride site will begin on Monday 22 April 2013. Construction will be carried out for Norfolk County Council by Birse Civils Ltd.

The existing Park and Ride site is one of the smallest of the six around Norwich and the expansion will allow the number of parking spaces to increase from 500 to 1000.

The extension of the site already has planning consent, but this lapses in May this year, so work will start on construction of the access road to protect the existing planning consent and avoid the need and cost of going through the planning application process again. Extension of the car park itself is expected to be carried out in 2015. Cost of the initial work is approximately £50,000.

The majority of the works will be off highway and delays are not anticipated for general traffic or users of the existing Park and Ride site.

The planning permission for the park and ride extension is separate from the planning permission for the Postwick Hub junction improvement, for which Side Road and Slip Road Orders are also required. These are subject to a public inquiry scheduled to start on 3 July.

The contract to supply the design, editing, printing and distribution of the Norfolk Chamber’s bi-monthly magazine, the ‘Norfolk Voice’ is due for renewal in July. The contract is now out to tender amongst the Chamber membership to try to bring this contract to Norfolk.

For more information and to receive a copy of the tender documents, please contact Nova Fairbank, on Tel: 01603 729 713 or Email: nova.fairbank@norfolkchamber.co.uk

The closing date for receipt of completed bid proposals is Friday 3 May 2013.

A local Chamber of Commerce in Colombia, South America (Cámara de Comercio de Valledupar) is planning to visit to the United Kingdom during April for a reference trip relating to the Dairy Sector. The delegation will be composed of Chamber of Commerce of Valledupar`s CEO and the small project team that is leading this effort.

The Chamber of Commerce of Valledupar, jointly with The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism have launched an initiative to improve the competitiveness of the Dairy Sector in the Department of Cesar – Colombia. More information on the initiative is available here.

Through this process it is conducting a strategic review of the sector, accompanied by an action plan aimed at improving the competitiveness of companies in the region. Within this analysis they have identified interesting opportunities to grow and become more competitive in milk production and processing to derivatives milk, taking into account the trends of differential products that have added value in addition to functionality more features specific to each market segment.

In order to understand these opportunities better, they are are organising a study trip for representatives from Chamber of Commerce of Valledupar to visit international best practices in the production and consumption of the dairy sector. They have identified Norfolk as a relevant region and would be very interested in having the opportunity to meet anyone in this sector, during their visit.

They are interested in meeting producers, retailers and manufacturers of complementary goods (machinery, logistics) for the sector, with the aim of learning from British companies and establish commercial relationships.

For more detailed information on the visit, please take a look at the Executive Summary.

The trip is pencilled in for April 22nd to 24th, but these dates are still tentative and may therefore change slightly. As there are only a couple of weeks left before their planned trip, if you would like to be included in their agenda of visits to our region, please contact the International Trade Team as soon as possible, on Tel. 01603 729712 or email us at export@norfolkchamber.co.uk.