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Panellist News
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Issue 3, March 2006
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Welcome to the third edition of 'Panellist News'- an e-bulletin aimed at keeping Specialist Panel members up to date with the Chamber's latest policy activity. As well as a 'lobbying for you' section, detailing key meetings we've had either for you or with you on particular issues, you'll find details of previous consultations the Chamber has responded to, and opportunities to have your say on latest issues and direct to the politicians.
We hope you find it useful.
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Olympics 2012
Warm with Commonwealth medal success, Northamptonshire is beginning to turn its attentions to the London Olympics in 2012 and the opportunities for the county to benefit. At a meeting with Northampton MPs Sally Keeble and Brian Binley, the Chamber heard representatives from the Olympic Organising Committee point out the potential economic opportunities ahead. Kirstine Storey, the Chamber's policy manager, said: "Work on the infrastructure - venues, transport, utilities - will be starting in the not too distant future, as the city gears up to provide this enormous sporting show. Northamptonshire firms will have the same chance as any business to tender for contracts offered - the challenge is to ensure that we are kept up-to-date with the latest information on what work is available and when." For more information on tendering and procurement opportunities, visit http://www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1221
- STOP PRESS - The Chamber will be attending a meeting today with Richard Caborn, Minister for Sport, to start pushing the county as a destination for Olympic activity, for visiting fans and athletes and as a home of business capable of assisting Olympic development.
Houses of Parliament visit
The end of February saw the Chamber's annual trip to the Houses of Parliament, to meet and lobby the county's MPs. We had an excellent turnout from MPs this year, with 5 out of 6 of them able to join us either at the formal Questions & Answers session or else for the more informal lunch afterwards. There was some excellent discussion of issues raised by Members around transport infrastructure in the county, the impact of EU Directives (such as the WEEE and RoHS Directives) on local business, and the nuisance of spam email, amongst others. The afternoon gave Members an opportunity to visit the Cabinet War Rooms and the Churchill Museum, which gave a fascinating insight into the operations behind political and military decision-making during the war period.
Lobbying Ministers face-to-face - more opportunities on the horizon.
The back end of 2005 gave the Chamber and Members some excellent opportunities for face-to-face lobbying of Ministers on what matters to Northamptonshire business. There was a business lunch meeting with Barry Gardiner MP, a national minister involved with cutting back regulation, a delegation to Westminster to meet Transport Minister Derek Twigg to lobby on rail services to Northampton, and Chamber President, John Peet, met with Tony Blair at Downing Street to discuss transport, skills and business support. The Chamber is looking to carry on giving you the chance to reach politicians in 2006, with more business surgeries planned for local MPs, and an anticipated Ministerial speaker at an event in July on the progress of the growth plans for Northamptonshire.
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Sunday Trading
The Government are currently consulting on proposed changes to the regulations governing Sunday Trading. In 1994 the Government introduced the Sunday Trading Act, which enabled large Shops (over 280 sq m/3,000 sq ft) to open for the purpose of serving retail customers for up to 6 continual hours on a Sunday, between 10am and 6pm in England and Wales. Small shops (under 280 sq m/3,000 sq ft) have no restrictions on opening. As part of a review of Sunday trading, the DTI are investigating the scope for further liberalization of Sunday trading. They want to hear the views of interested parties including the business community. In light of this I would be grateful if you could let me know whether your members have any views on this issue. The central question concerns whether large shops should be able to open for a longer period of time on a Sunday. Please could you send responses to Kirstine Storey - kirstine.storey@northants-chamber.co.uk - before Friday 7th April.
Lunch with the Bank of England
Sally Keeble MP would like to invite Members to attend a business lunch meeting with Chris Brown, regional representative of the Bank of England. The lunch would offer the opportunity to tell the Bank how your business is fairing in the current economic climate, as well as to ask Chris any questions you might have on the Bank and its role in the UK economy. Any member interested in attending should contact the Northampton South constituency office direct as this is NOT a Chamber event. Full details of the lunch meeting are below, and numbers are limited:
Date: Friday 12th May 2006
Time: 12:00 pm
Venue: Meeting room at the Toby Carvery, Talavera Way, Round Spiney, Northampton, NN3 8RN
The cost: £10.00 per head.
In the Energy business? What regulation could be made simpler for you?
The DTI has begun a better regulation project on energy, working in parallel to the government's broader Energy Review, which aims to review all energy regulations that DTI is responsible for, with a view to simplification, streamlining and abolition where appropriate. The intention is to make proposals that reduce burdens and ease compliance for the energy sector whilst maintaining consumer protection. If you are in the energy business and feel able to contribute, please send your thoughts to Kirstine Storey - kirstine.storey@northants-chamber.co.uk - before Friday 7th April
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Thank you to all Specialist Panel members who submitted their views and helped form the Chamber's responses to the following consultations:
Growth in the County - Responses to two consultations
North Northamptonshire - The Chamber submitted responses in January to the "Preferred Options for North Northamptonshire" paper about the growth plans for the area, particularly in Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and East Northants. The Chamber response highlighted the need for town centre renewal, looking for the three growth towns to complement each other rather than become competing carbon copies; it emphasised the particular need for improved public transport connections between the towns, villages and key employment sites, so as to avoid the peaks of local and trunk road congestion; it underlined too the need for a clear strategy for job creation to ensure that the right provision for premises for new and existing firms (offering the assistance of the Chamber in this regard).
West Northamptonshire - The Chamber also submitted a response this month to the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation's (WNDC) "Prospectus for Growth and Prosperity". Comments from the Chamber underlined the importance of improved transport connections (both road and public transport) within the area; the essential regeneration of Northampton town centre in particular (but also in Daventry and Towcester) to encourage local people and visitors to shop and enjoy their leisure time in the county's towns, and to encourage business investment; the need for investment in business support to serve the existing and potential incoming business community; and the need for joined-up thinking between the planners, those that deliver public services, and those that work towards the economic development of the county - to ensure, for example, that employment land will provide the jobs needed and that training providers can deliver the right skilled people to do these jobs.
Full copies of these responses & other information on the growth can be found at our expansion plans homepage.
Local Transport Plan
The County Council recently consulted on its Local Transport Plan which is used to outline Northamptonshire's priorities and gain government funding. Your comments and response to transport priority questions in the Quarterly Economic Survey, helped the Chamber submit a response calling for an ambitious, business friendly transport policy, the full response can be found here.
Quarterly Economic Survey
The latest survey has just finished and results will be available soon. Meanwhile, the survey for October-December revealed a stable rather than spectacular economy as 2005 drew to an end. UK sales for manufacturing were up on the pervious quarter whilst there was little change for the service sector. Most importantly, there was cross sector confidence looking forward to a prosperous new year. Read the full report on our Survey home page
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If you have any questions relating to matters covered in this bulletin then do not hesitate to contact the policy team
Kirstine Storey, Policy Manager kirstine.storey@northants-chamber.co.uk 01604 490490 ext 232
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©2008 Northamptonshire Chamber (Company No. 04043116)