Rochdale President Chamber Column

Peter Carey

Peter Carey, Rochdale President of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce says: “As most of us are aware, Rochdale town centre is going through quite a dramatic programme of change at the moment. At the Chamber’s last networking lunch in the borough, we invited John Hudson, Chief Executive of the Rochdale Development Agency, to speak to businesses about the building works and improvements and the time scales for their completion. He gave us a fascinating insight into how Rochdale will look once everything has been completed in 2016. We know that some business owners have been inconvenienced by certain aspects of the project, and you can feed back and find more information at www.rochdaletowncentre.com.

“One of the issues pertinent to Chamber members in Rochdale is local procurement and the tendering process that accompanies public sector bidding. In order to help tackle this issue and raise awareness of the opportunities available in our borough, the Chamber is working with Rochdale Council to organise a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event. Taking place at Rochdale Town Hall on 20 June, businesses will have the opportunity to meet staff from the Council’s Strategic Procurement Team, representing ICT, construction, environmental management, catering and education. They will be able to ask the team about forthcoming projects and receive information about the tendering process. For further details and to book a place, visit: www.gmchamber.co.uk/events

“Several members from the Chamber’s Rochdale Local Council group met with representatives from RADAMA recently, which is the partnership group of Rochdale Learning Providers that aims to develop learning opportunities based on an individual’s needs. The group had a very productive meeting and gained information about the support available to local businesses, especially in relation to the recruitment of apprentices. This initiative is key to helping young people gain the support and experience they need to help them get into work. If you’d like to find out more, visit: www.radama.co.uk.

“At the Chamber, we feel passionately about celebrating business successes and sharing the good news stories that quite often seem to get overshadowed by the less positive economic developments of the day. We’re encouraging businesses to get involved with this year’s Rochdale Business Awards, taking place in November. It may seem early, but organisers are already planning the event, so keep your eye on www.rochdalebusinessawards.co.uk to find out how to enter and for further information. If you’re a Chamber member, let us know your good news stories too, then we can share them with fellow members and help raise awareness of your success.”