Norfolk Chambers of Commerce is proud to announce that BT Local Business Norfolk & Suffolk are going to be Headline sponsors of B2B this October.
Clifford Norton, Managing Director says, ” we are really excited to be the headline sponsor at this event, and looking forward to meeting all the other local companies.”
Following the announcement of the DIT’s ‘Europe Export Support Service’, David Cowan, International Declaration Manager at Norfolk Chambers Of Commerce said:
“There is no doubt, that since Brexit, trading overseas has become more complicated for our members and clients…
..We are very proud of having been there to support them since the start, and always welcome services designed to simplify process, and encourage and help businesses to explore International Trade with confidence. ChamberCustoms has been evolving over the last ten months, to offer unrivalled service, and innovative systems. The Norfolk Chamber’s International team looks forward to working in partnership with the new support service, and passing on the benefits of this collaboration to our members and clients as soon as possible…
…On the 15th November 2021, we are hosting an ‘unlocking international trade’ event at Norwich City Football ground, which is an opportunity for experienced traders, and those considering international trade to come together, and discuss all things relating to Import and Export. This is one of the many way we keep trade moving in Norfolk.”
William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said;
“Chambers Businesses have been pointing out the daily difficulties firms, large and small, have had with the new trading terms for EU exports since they started on 1 January.
“Many have found themselves wrestling with issues around VAT, export health certificates, and origin certification for the first time.
“The Chambers Network and ChamberCustoms were ready on day one for this challenge and have continued to share their practical experience and knowledge of how to best facilitate trade and market access for our members.
“Every day we are working to make this happen in a way no-one else does. Our expertise allows us to offer advice, training, brokerage and documentation services for trade with both the EU and wider international market.
“We are keen to work in partnership with Government to enhance this capacity to lift export-led growth for companies the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, using our Global Business Network to extend their reach.
“We look forward to working with the Europe Export Support Service and hope it will prove complementary to the unrivalled support the Chamber Network provides to exporting UK companies.
“Unfortunately, many firms have given up exporting to EU customers since January, while others have found the new barriers to trade in goods and services a massive financial and logistical burden.
“The essential test for this new service will be to turn that around and do it quickly, by adding value to the work of Chambers and not to further confuse UK companies. Rebuilding the economy after the pandemic requires turbo-charged export-led growth – especially with our largest trading partner – the EU.”
The Government has announced thousands of new temporary working visas to tackle lorry driver shortages, that led to a drop in the availability of fuel over the weekend, but business is warning that the measures do not go far enough.
As part of the scheme, 5,000 qualified overseas HGV drivers will be able to come to work in the UK through the Temporary Workers route in order to prevent a shortfall in staff from causing disruptions to fuel or food supply chains in the run-up to Christmas. On top of this, another 5,500 Temporary Worker visas will be made available for poultry workers, with the new route available between the start of October and 24 December.
British Chambers President, Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith CBE said:
“Government has made clear its priority is to transition from a reliance on EU workers to a focus on the domestic workforce, and businesses have been ready to participate in this, but it is a long-term project.
“A managed transition, with a plan agreed between government and business, should have been in place from the outset. Instead, the supply of EU labour was turned off with no clear roadmap as to how this transition would be managed without disruption to services and supply chains.
“Now some action has been taken, but additional testing will take time and the low number of visas offered is insufficient. Even if these short-term opportunities attract the maximum amount of people allowed under the scheme, it will not be enough to address the scale of the problem that has now developed in our supply chains. This announcement is the equivalent of throwing a thimble of water on a bonfire.
“Government should be prepared to significantly expand the number of visas issued within this scheme and convene a summit that brings business and government together to find both immediate and longer-term solutions to the many challenges facing firms throughout the UK.
“Without further action, we now face the very real prospect of serious damage to our economic recovery, stifled growth as well as another less than happy Christmas for many businesses and their customers across the country.”
Nova Fairbank, Chief Operating Officer for Norfolk Chambers said:
“Chambers of Commerce have been warning Government about critical labour shortages for months now – not just in the food and haulage industries but in hospitality, construction, the care sector and elsewhere in the economy. Whilst businesses will welcome that government is finally taking action, this scheme does not go far enough.
“British Chambers data has shown that 76% of hospitality businesses, and 82% of construction firms have faced recruitment difficulties in recent months. At the same time, we found 3 out of 4 exporters reporting no growth in sales in Q2.
“Norfolk businesses are facing the most difficult environment for a generation. On top of labour shortages – border delays, increased debt and the rising cost of materials, shipping and energy are all putting huge pressure on firms struggling to recover from the pandemic. All of these issues are hitting smaller firms the hardest.
“Attempts to address the deficit of HGV drivers and poultry workers is a step forward, but these industries are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the huge impact of the current labour shortages. Without a comprehensive plan to tackle this issue across the board we are facing a winter of lost opportunities for our businesses, hampering the UK’s economic recovery.”
Commenting on the current panic buying of fuel that is being seen across the country, Ms Fairbank said:
“Everyone has a responsibility to be sensible about their fuel needs – it is those who have panic bought their fuel over the last days that have now caused a bigger issue. If you do not need to fill up – then don’t. Hopefully the measures now being put in place will help alleviate some of the issues, but the UK does not have a fuel shortage – just a fuel delivery issue which can be resolved if people are sensible about their fuel needs.”
Digital connectivity, digital funding and innovations in LoRaWan connections across Norfolk are all part of Norfolk County Council’s strategy to make Norfolk the best-connected rural county in the UK.
How can better digital connectivity help your business? This is the question that Norfolk County Council plans to answer with an all-encompassing digital strategy for Norfolk that can help businesses save money, lessen their impact on the environment, achieve business growth and future proof their business.
The digital strategy is in three parts: Making sure that the whole of Norfolk (including rural areas) has digital connectivity with superfast broadband and 5G; the launch of the Go Digital project that helps provide SMEs with funding for digital transformation to increase productivity, recover from the pandemic and grow their business, plus access digital training for their employees; and finally by developing the Norfolk and Suffolk Innovation Network, the largest free-to-use public sector Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) in the UK, which delivers dual county connectivity to support Internet of Things (IoT) sensors. The network is an innovation network designed so business, public sector, schools and the general public can all experiment with the technology.
Norfolk businesses are now being asked What could your business do? when it comes to having better digital connectivity and an innovation network of digital sensors that can make almost anything possible.
Businesses who are already seeing what IoT sensors can do for their business include Unitec, Ben Burgess and Gressenhall. The technology network has helped Uniotec kickstart innovation in Norfolk and has helped with their business growth. IoT sensors have also helped Ben Burgess support their Norfolk clients in making cost savings and smart decisions, by helping them monitor crops and livestock. LoRaWAN has also enabled Gressenhall use GPS technology to conduct visitor analysis to improve visitor experience.
Cllr Tom FitzPatrick, Norfolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Innovation, Transformations & Performance, said: “It is important that our Strategy is not just for the County Council, so we want to make sure that everyone in Norfolk whether residents, businesses or visitors, is able to be given the opportunity to take full advantage of the opportunities and benefits offered by digital technology.
“Digital technology, accessed through fast data or mobile phones is not just something which is nice to have, but is now vital in keeping our essentially rural county at the forefront in terms of both the wider economy, learning and day to day activities.
“Good digital connection is vital and this Strategy, developed by Norfolk County Council is a step towards making Norfolk prosperous and inclusive. This Strategy will help tackle Digital exclusion in Norfolk.
“Our Innovation Network has gone from nothing to the largest in the UK in less than three years and offers existing businesses, entrepreneurs, the care and educational sectors the opportunity to harness a free to use network, which is growing globally.”
The official launch of Norfolk County Council’s digital strategy will take place on 22 September on the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce and Norfolk County Council’s Norfolk Knowledge Hub platform. The Norfolk Knowledge Hub is the place for businesses to find resources on how to implement everything from digital, marketing and brand awareness, through to leadership, finance and environmental strategies.
Cllr Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Growth said: “Norfolk businesses have an invaluable opportunity to use our new Norfolk Knowledge Hub. Curated by the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, this platform offers a wealth of free information and advice with a wide range of support programmes and learning resources in a secure, virtual environment.
“It’s a great way to exchange and share knowledge and experiences, new ideas and to create new connections. As we recover from the pandemic, this will complement traditional but currently unavailable physical support. I urge businesses to visit and take advantage of this innovative platform.”
Norfolk businesses who are interested in finding out more about how digital connectivity can benefit their business, including trialing LoRaWAN technology for their business can find more information at: www.norfolk.gov.uk/digital
The official launch of Norfolk County Council’s digital strategy and website will take place on Wednesday 22 September, 2021 online on the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce and Norfolk County Council’s Norfolk Knowledge Hub platform at https://norfolkknowledgehub.co.uk
Businesses can also get involved right now on social media @NorfolkChambers #ArtOfThePossible
The DWP’s Kickstart Scheme is aimed at getting 16 to 24 year olds into the world of work and is due to close at the end of December 2021.
With the support of Gateways across Norfolk, the scheme has been extremely well supported by the Norfolk business community with nearly 1,400 placements being created by local employers across the county. However, it does take time to recruit young people into these roles, and as a result, it is expected that the DWP will take the decision to close for new applications for Kickstart placements as at the end of September 2021.
We are anticipating that employers already approved in the Kickstart process, will have until the end of October 2021 to submit their vacancy templates and recruitment for the roles can continue up until 31 December 2021.
If your business is considering taking on a Kickstart placement, there is still a small window of time to get your application in. But you will need to submit your completed new Kickstart application to the Gateway by no later than 5pm on Tuesday 28 September 2021 to allow for submission on 30 September by the Gateway.
If you have any questions about the Kickstart Scheme, please contact your Kickstart Gateway.
Contact Details:
Charlotte Upcraft charlotte.upcraft@norfolkchambers.co.uk 01603 729 205
The government has set out a pragmatic new timetable for introducing full import controls for goods being imported from the EU to the UK.
Businesses have faced a range of challenges over recent months as they recover from the global pandemic which has impacted supply chains across Europe. This is being felt particularly by the agri-food sector, where new requirements on importing products of animal origin were due to be introduced from next month. Rather than introduce these controls at this time, the government has listened to those who have called for a new approach to give businesses more time to adjust.
Full customs declarations and controls will be introduced on 1 January 2022 as previously announced, although safety and security declarations will now not be required until 1 July 2022.
Under the revised timetable:
David Cowan, International Declaration Manager at Norfolk Chamber said; “The Revised timetable will give businesses more time to adjust to the new processes. The Global pandemic has affected supply chains in the UK and across Europe, and for these Controls to be phased in across 2022 gives everyone the opportunity to get prepared, understand fully the implications for their business, and to upskill sufficiently. Norfolk Chamber’s International team are here to help, and have capacity to onboard new client’s for the processing of Customs Declarations”
Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, Lord Frost, said:
We want businesses to focus on their recovery from the pandemic rather than have to deal with new requirements at the border, which is why we’ve set out a pragmatic new timetable for introducing full border controls.
Businesses will now have more time to prepare for these controls which will be phased in throughout 2022.
The government remains on track to deliver the new systems, infrastructure and resourcing required.
The government will work closely with the Devolved Administrations on the implementation of this new timetable, given their devolved responsibilities for agri-food controls.
We remain on track to deliver new systems, infrastructure and resourcing needed for these controls.
For further information see here.
Calls are growing for the government to prioritise dualling the A47, as the chance for members of the public to have their say on the roads in Norfolk opens up for this year.
Members of the public can let Highways England know how important dualling the A47 is by sharing their experiences of the road via the National Highways Route Strategies feedback tool, at: https://highwaysengland.co.uk/our-work/our-route-strategies/
The feedback is collected by National Highways, formerly Highways England and the body responsible for maintaining the A47.
Nova Fairbank, Chief Operating Officer for Norfolk Chambers of Commerce said
“It is vital for our county’s economic growth that we clearly demonstrate that Norfolk is ‘open for business’. The full dualling of the A47 is a ‘must have’ for Norfolk Chambers and the wider business community in order to deliver greater economic growth and jobs in this region.
“From tourism to logistics; energy and manufacturing; to research and agriculture; all sectors across our region rely heavily on the A47, as our main artery East to West and onwards to the Midlands. Improvements to this route are vital to help us to remain accessible and competitive.
“The passion and commitment of our business community to achieving a fully dualled A47 is clear and the economic benefits are evident – a fully dualled A47 is a necessity, not a want.”
Cllr Martin Wilby, Norfolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, said: “We know just how big dualling the A47 is for Norfolk, but now we need to work together to make sure the government know too: we use the road every day, and it’s time to get that real experience in front of ministers, via the Highways England feedback and online, to show everyone just how important this investment is and just what potential is waiting to be unlocked in Norfolk.”
The A47 trunk road is managed by National Highways on behalf of the Government and runs from just past Peterborough in the west and across the breadth of Norfolk to Lowestoft in the east.
Currently just 47 per cent of this major route is dual carriageway and while National Highways have committed to making improvements to the road, including dualling some stretches, this will still leave substantial sections of the A47 as single carriageway with no current plans to dual them.
A fully-dualled A47 would bring significant benefits to the counties and communities along its route. Shorter and more reliable journey times along the road and onwards to the Midlands would not only improve quality of life for many residents but also provide a huge boost to the regional economy by attracting new businesses, supporting existing businesses to grow and become more profitable, encouraging more visitors to the region and creating more jobs.
In order for Just Dual It! to stand a chance of achieving its goal of getting the A47 fully dualled as soon as possible, people are being encouraged to share their experiences of how the road is having a detrimental effect on their lives or businesses and show their support for the campaign, both via the National Highways feedback tool above and by sharing stories online with the hashtags #JustDualIt and #JustFundIt, to make clear to the government the need for dualling of the A47.
One of Norfolk’s founding and most influential business men, Sir Timothy Coleman died on 9 September 2021 at his home at Bixley Manor, near Norwich, at the age of 91.
Paying tribute to Sir Timothy, Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chambers said:
“Sir Timothy was a champion of Norfolk and its people, he was hugely influential and was instrumental in the forming of the University of East Anglia. He was a member of the Coleman family – founders of the Coleman’s Mustard dynasty, of which Jeremiah Coleman was the very first President of Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, Sir Timothy has played a leading role in the Norfolk business community for many decades.”
David Cowan, International Declarations Manager at Norfolk Chamber of commerce said:
“We continue to assist our Norfolk businesses, guiding them through the processes involved with their imports and exports. Any easements are welcomed, as it buys us all more time to educate and upskill”
William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said:
“With the cliff-edge looming at the end of the month on expiry of easements on customs, food and e-commerce packages, businesses will welcome the relief that goods can move across to NI without any additional disruption for the next few months.
“This extension is open-ended but may buy businesses only a few months in additional grace periods. We urge both sides to reach an agreement quickly to provide durable clarity for businesses serving customers in Northern Ireland and to work at improving overall UK-EU relations on trade.”
Read the full written ministerial statement from Lord Frost here.
The Prime Minister has announced an increase to National Insurance contributions of 1.25% – taking effect in April 2022. Today’s health and social care announcement effectively gives the NHS £36bn over the next three years “to fund the biggest catch-up programme in the NHS’s history, tackling the Covid backlogs”.
How it will be funded:
How much will people pay (Government analysis):
To read the full details of the announcement, click here.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive of Norfolk Chambers of Commerce said:
“A rise in NI contributions represents a blow to many recovering businesses at this crucial point in the UK and Norfolk’s economic recovery.
“A greater focus to help businesses to thrive and sustainably deliver tax revenues to support and improve public services would be welcomed. Whilst many businesses understand the urgent need to improve our health and social care system, they also look to the government to help mitigate this increase to the cost of doing business.”
Connecting to Trade is the British Irish Chamber of Commerce’s informative and interactive online series of events that promotes trade, investment and business opportunities between the regions of the UK and Ireland. In our third event of the series, we will highlight the great opportunities that exist for UK regional businesses to explore new trading opportunities in the Irish Market. This event is being delivered in partnership with the Department for International Trade. Click here to re-direct to the Registration page.
Norfolk ChamberCustoms has access to all ports, able to support you with, and process all of your Import and Export requirements. Contact David Cowan on 01603 729 707.
A Notice of Motion has been submitted ahead of the full Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk meeting on 9 September asking the council to declare a Climate Emergency. The wording of the motion is: “This council has recognised the scientific and moral need to act decisively on ‘climate change’ for sometime and has introduced a portfolio, policy and measures to significantly reduce its impact on its carbon emissions and the environment, with an intent to support these going forward with a specific budget. It is now the right time with this council-focussed activity well underway for us to now declare a ‘climate emergency’ to magnify the global message of the need for action to local residents, businesses and partners in West Norfolk and signal our strong commitment to help them make positive changes.’ The Notice of Motion is being put forward by Cllr Paul Kunes, Cabinet Member for Environment, seconded by council leader Cllr Stuart Dark, MBE. The papers for full council are set to be published on Wednesday, 1 September 2021. Cllr Paul Kunes, commenting on his decision to put forward the Notice of Motion and seek council support for the declaration of a climate emergency, said: “We have been putting in a lot of work to improve our understanding of national best practice, requirements and guidelines. We have been gathering the data to understand the baseline figures for our own carbon footprint and reviewing those for the borough. We have put together a strategy and action plan which is being reviewed at Environment and Community Panel today, before it goes to Cabinet and Council next month. Now we have a clear picture of what our situation is, both at the council and across the borough, we feel the time is right to declare a climate emergency. We are in a position to show what we have already done, set out what we are doing and planning to do and demonstrate how we plan to enable and support businesses and residents to do their bit too. The council’s own carbon footprint is just a small percentage of the borough’s footprint, so by all working together we can achieve a much bigger impact.” “We have already been working diligently behind the scenes to secure £3.8m of Government grants for our Refit decarbonisation programme, installing solar panels and different heating systems in many of our buildings and venues to reduce our own carbon footprint. We have made the conscious decision to invest an extra £1.7m to make the new parkway development one of the greenest in Norfolk by including additional environmentally friendly and sustainable measures. Our waste collection vehicles are 20% more fuel efficient than they were under the previous contract, and we will soon be receiving electric supervisor vehicles. We will be increasing our tree planting and encouraging others to do the same. As part of the Town Deal we are also looking at our cycling and walking infrastructure to encourage active and green travel. We are developing our website to include useful information that will help people to make changes that will help them to become one step greener.” Cllr Stuart Dark, Leader of the Council, added: “We have restructured ourselves around our core priorities, of which the Environment is one. The Environment portfolio now has one person responsible for all environmental issues including air quality, waste disposal and other elements which support our decarbonisation journey. It is my intention to also put aside a budget specifically for climate change activities and to support businesses and the public to make changes. “We have already been encouraging residents to play their part by recycling better. Leaflets were sent to every household earlier this year. We are also launching a campaign to encourage people to reduce their food waste and to dispose of their food waste using the kerbside caddies so that methane is capture and used for energy rather than released into the atmosphere. “We are also planning to work with the many great businesses of west Norfolk which are looking to come out of Covid in greener, more sustainable ways. We will support them and help them navigate their way through the myriad sources of information and provide guidance on available funding. “We will be working with the Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, New Anglia LEP and other partners, to involve and engage our communities and businesses in our plans as we all work together for a greener future.” Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive, Norfolk Chambers of Commerce, said: “Businesses have dramatically and rapidly been forced to transition into new ways of behaving as a result of Covid. The resulting global economic shutdown, which has been achieved at a devastating social cost, has barely dented our carbon emissions when you consider that emissions have to fall by at least 7.6% every year to 2050. It shows that the challenge of avoiding dangerous climate change and getting to zero emissions is unbelievably hard. Norfolk Chambers is therefore delighted to work with partners to support the local business communities to understand what changes they can make; to signpost them to funding and support to implement immediate and trusted changes; and to engage the wider business community to highlight best practice and thought-leadership. We stand ready to support the borough council and others on our shared journey to net zero.” Chris Starkie, Chief Executive, New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We are delighted to be working with the borough council on helping West Norfolk businesses make the transition to net zero. The LEP’s Clean Growth Taskforce is prioritizing support for SMEs to provide funding and practical advice is available through the New Anglia Growth Hub to help businesses navigate the complexities of reducing carbon emissions and helping them mitigate their impact on the climate.”