Suffolk Chamber News
The Suffolk Chamber is committed to serving the business community. We provide business information and news for our members and the local business community as one of the many ways we support business.
Becoming a member of the Suffolk Chamber provides business with an opportunity to be represented in the local business community. Attending events provides networking opportunities, our member discounts provide opportunity for savings on business costs and our commitment ensures we will support and represent all members.
Over a dozen of the county’s leading business people charged with encouraging more inward investment into Suffolk had a chance to look around Associated British Ports’ Ipswich operations earlier this week.
“Since the Brexit vote, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce has been urging Government to boost business confidence by accelerating its approval of major infrastructure projects.
“Suffolk Chamber of Commerce welcomes the Board of EDF's approval of the final investment decision on Hinkley Point C. This could have helped to unlock further progress for Sizewell C. However, the UK Government’s decision to review the project is unhelpful and counter-productive. It creates unnecessary uncertainty among Suffolk’s business community at a time when they need and deserve a boost.
"Suffolk Chamber of Commerce believes that the nuclear industry has been good for the county’s economy. It has been good for Suffolk thanks to both the jobs created directly and indirectly and in terms of investment in the skills base of the local workforce over many decades.
“The building of a new nuclear power station would boost our economy both during construction and once it is up and running. We have been working closely with EDF Energy through our local supply chain website to ensure that as many local businesses have a chance to pick up contracts as possible should Sizewell C get the go-ahead.
“This is a good report that has nailed the nature of the problem, but its solutions need to be more ambitious to truly help local businesses grow and succeed. Despite the welcome achievements of Better Broadband in Suffolk many of our businesses still face a long wait for superfast connectivity whilst also frustrated by the stubborn persistence of 3G mobile ‘not spots’.”
John Dugmore, chief executive of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce was responding to the publication earlier in the week of the connectivity report by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.
Reflecting the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce’s growing national standing within the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) network, two of the most experienced members of its team have been elected today (July 13th) to senior positions within the national organisation.
Suffolk Chamber President, Sarah Howard MBE, is joining the BCC’s board and becomes Chair of the UK Accreditation Board. Suffolk Chamber’s Chief Executive John Dugmore also joins the UK Accreditation Board.
The campaign set up to persuade the Government to include much-needed improvements to the A14 in Suffolk in its next road building programme has put out the call for anyone affected by delays on this road to share their experiences to build up evidence of the impact that delays are having on residents and businesses.
The first Strategy Board of the No More A14 Delays in Suffolk campaign met last Friday (July 1st) at Suffolk Chamber of Commerce’s Ipswich headquarters. Chaired by Therese Coffey MP the meeting was attended by a wide range of organisations, including businesses, councils, local enterprise partnerships and representatives from Highways England.
The voice of business in Suffolk has urged national and local politicians to listen closely and carefully to the needs of the business community as the impact of Thursday’s vote for the UK to leave the EU is absorbed and understood.
Suffolk Chamber of Commerce chief executive, John Dugmore said: “Businesses across Britain, including those in Suffolk, want a steady stream of communication from the Government and the Bank of England, with stability, clarity, leadership and action the watch-words for firms.
John Dugmore, Suffolk Chamber chief executive, said:
"In the wake of the electorate's historic decision to leave the European Union, the immediate priorities for UK business are market stability and political clarity.
"Suffolk’s businesses expect the country’s political leadership to show calmness and responsibility and not to be dragged into a prolonged political inquest.
According to the Centre for cities, Ipswich has transformed itself from the 3rd least fiscally productive city in the UK (out of 63, ahead of only Burnley and Hull) to the 24th - the biggest change of any city in the UK.
