One of York’s key business groups has met to consider the challenges to economic growth it may be facing.
The Leadership Group of York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has discussed challenges and opportunities facing businesses. The group was joined by the British Chambers of Commerce Head of Economics, Suren Thiru, ahead of lobbying been done by the national group. Suren told the group that the Government was currently being lobbied for support, especially for SMEs and energy-intensive industries, following the disappointment of the Spring Statement last month.
Asked where the current challenges were most prominent in York & North Yorkshire, BCC’s economics guru was told that retailers would appreciate business rate reductions; the hospitality sector was recovering but only slowly; recruitment difficulties were considerable in most sectors, with employers widening their searches; Brexit has consolidated the previous problem due to fewer foreign workers available; and the growing technology sector was facing acute skills shortages.
Suren promised to feed back to other BCC colleagues with regard to policy considerations, although the York & North Yorkshire group is already connected in other ways. West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce is represented on several of BCC’s policy groups, including employment and skills, transport and property. As one of the country’s largest Chambers of Commerce, the national group listens carefully to its views.
Laurence Beardmore, President of York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The group had a very fruitful discussion. We know there are further obstacles down the road, whether that’s related to Brexit, Covid or the situation in Ukraine. It’s important that we have a strong dialogue with our national organisation in order that they feel fully informed when speaking to politicians and civil servants in London.”
Other topics discussed by the group included the long-term damage being done to York through the continued lack of a Local Plan, and the city’s prospects of Great British Railways basing its headquarters there.
