Archive for February 2023
British Chambers welcome proposals for new protocol agreement
Reacting to news of a proposed agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said: “The BCC has long been calling for a negotiated solution to the trading difficulties caused by the initial version of the protocol. “Businesses in both Northern Ireland and Great Britain have been calling…
Read MoreWest and North Yorkshire business leaders share workforce challenges
The Open University and the West and North and Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a roundtable in which local business and educational leaders discussed a variety of challenges that are facing organisations in 2023. The session was chaired by James Mason, Chief Executive of the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and formed…
Read MoreShowcasing Bradford’s future
Showcasing Bradford’s future to the world was the topic of discussion at the latest meeting of the Bradford Property Forum. With the UK Real Estate, Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREIIF) set to attract circa 6,000 delegates when it is staged in Leeds in May, Bradford is preparing to highlight to as wide an audience as…
Read MoreHustings in York – Have your voice heard
Business leaders in York are being offered the chance to have their voices heard by those in charge of the city’s economic future. Ahead of the City of York Council elections in May, York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce is holding a hustings event with representatives from all political parties on March 1. This…
Read MoreUrgent action plea as labour market data revealed
The latest UK labour market data is out and there are 1.134m vacancies (down 76,000 as uncertainty affects business confidence). Private sector pay is at a record high (outside of the pandemic). Employment and unemployment rates broadly flat. More labour market data can be found on the Office for National Statistics website Reacting to the latest…
Read MoreAccredited digital training to upskill your organisation
Virtual College by Netex joins in partnership with the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce to offer members exclusive discounts on online training for their organisations. In recent years, organisations have had to make big changes to their working patterns to accommodate remote and hybrid working. Training and development have also been impacted with…
Read MoreThe British Chambers of Commerce has set out four goals the Chancellor must hit during his Spring Budget.
Issues of childcare, energy costs, business rates and green funding must be solved to unlock firms’ growth potential. With recent BCC research showing more than 75% of companies failing to increase investment, due to a lack of confidence in the economy, the government is now on borrowed time to find answers. The BCC budget submission…
Read MoreReaction to Office for National Statistics figures
Reaction to ONS trade figures as Bank Governor address Chamber members Latest trade figures from the Office for National Statistics show that international trade faces a challenging year ahead. With no economic growth in the final quarter of 2022, the UK is still expected to enter recession this year, despite that not yet happening. Today’s…
Read MoreLeeds Chamber Annual Dinner 2023
The rich and diverse cultural and economic heritage of the city of Leeds was showcased in front of a bumper audience at the 2023 Leeds Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner. More than 260 people flocked to Headingley Stadium in the city for a notably different annual dinner event. Gone were the tuxedos and in was…
Read MoreCanvasing views from business on skills
Businesses of all sizes are being called upon to have their say regarding skills provision in the region. West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce is administering the Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) for both North and West Yorkshire, with the latter being done in conjunction with Mid Yorkshire Chamber. LSIPs are targeted on local…
Read MoreQuarterly Recruitment Outlook: Highest level of recruitment difficulties on record
82% of businesses attempting to recruit have faced challenges, with hospitality and manufacturing firms most likely to report difficulties Over six in ten (61%) businesses are actively trying to recruit staff BCC calls on Government to work with business on solutions including childcare support and urgent reform of the Shortage Occupations List (SOL) …
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