Chamber CEO Paul Britton travelled to London this morning to meet with the Chancellor, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, fellow Chamber Chief Executives and business representatives.
Discussions focused on the good work being done by the Chamber network and how businesses are contributing strongly to the UK economy, while spotlighting the challenges that need fresh solutions.
Paul Britton, CEO, Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce said ““Accredited Chambers have a unique insight into their local economy, and it was a great opportunity to share and discuss our views on how policies and investment to maintain the future competitiveness of the Thames Valley can deliver new growth and job opportunities not just locally, but across the whole of the UK.
I was also delighted to be joined by Stuart Carroll of Moderna UK, which is a tremendous example of that local and national investment in action.”
Shevaun Haviland said: “It was incredibly useful to connect Chamber Chief Executives and the businesses they represent with the Chancellor today to lay out their experiences on the ground.
“It was encouraging to see the Chancellor listening so intently to discussions around unlocking the potential for greater investment in our local areas as well as the importance of getting UK businesses back to growth.
“Businesses are realistic and understand the challenges and limited resources of Government. They brought pragmatic solutions to the table this morning, that won’t be a drain on the Chancellor’s finances.
“The Chancellor heard the Chamber network’s calls on three main issues; utilising planning for growth, sorting out the national grid queuing system and tackling the UK’s tight labour market.
“More must be done to unlock the planning system at pace, to help firms seeking to invest and to build new facilities.
“Additionally, without an efficient national grid which supplies businesses with the energy capacity they need, as well as enough workers to fill empty jobs, the potential for growth will continue to be limited.
“We also heard this morning that Investment Zones are a fantastic opportunity for the public and private sectors to unlock growth together.
“It’s by having conversations like these that we can work with Government to make a real difference for firms on the frontline of the economy and give them the tools they need for success.”
