Chamber News: Companies Urge Government to Take Action for Business

Chris Fletcher

Businesses throughout Greater Manchester are calling on the Government to do more to help them as the Conservative Party holds its conference in Birmingham.

The call comes from the 200 plus businesses that have attended the first of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s new style Action for Business Forums, which have been held in several areas over the last few weeks.

Topping the list of issues raised at the events so far are concerns that, despite a wide range of initiatives being announced, there is no obvious easing of conditions for businesses looking for funding. Many local businesses are also still getting to grips with the changes in business support caused by the wind down of the Northwest Development Agency and Businesslink service to an on-line portal. In addition many business owners would like to see more practical help and support made available to recruit skilled staff and many are seeing pressure from increasing fuel costs.

Chris Fletcher, Director of Policy & Communications at the Chamber, said: “Our forums allow members and non-members to discuss between themselves the issues that are affecting them and what solutions they’d like to see. The Chamber collects the feedback and suggestions and we then co-ordinate our work to start to help move things along.

“So far the overwhelming feeling has been one of frustration that, as regards kickstarting lending to business, there’s been no tangible result from Quantitative Easing or many of the other government schemes that have been announced. In fact many businesses are unaware some of these exist.

“We are in the process of pulling all this together to form the next phase of our Action For Business work and we will carry on running these forums in each of the 10 local areas that we cover.

“It’s a great mechanism for businesses to come and speak their mind on the issues that are frustrating them or holding them back and giving us the evidence to go to government and others to present them with what needs doing to get the economy growing again.”