CHAMBER NEWS

There’s a lot to talk about and plan for – the proportion of the Shared Prosperity Fund we have been awarded does not match the EU funds we have been used to receiving, so we need to come at things with a different approach and take a fresh look at strategies for securing future growth in The Duchy.

At the Chamber, we’re putting the finishes touches to what is shaping up to be a hugely exciting Cornwall Festival of Business – and of course, our Business Fair. I really feel that the festival week will bring Cornwall together and get us back on track with renewed optimism. While the pandemic made us more resilient in many ways, it also presented us with new challenges, and we’ve largely faced those challenges with little cohesion or collaboration – for obvious reasons. Now is the time to come together again and move forward, linking arms.

The business landscape has changed beyond all recognition since we last held a live Business Fair – I’m not just talking about remote or hybrid working; this time we are no longer part of the EU. OUT OF ADVERSITY… It should be noted that my counterparts in other areas of the country - including AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS MONTH’S FESTIVAL Devon, were envious of how much of the SPF we are to receive. Per head of population, Cornwall gets around £220 per OF BUSINESS, NOW IS THE head compared to just £17 for Torbay. It’s not TIME TO COME TOGETHER, the best outcome, but it’s something we can SAYS CORNWALL CHAMBER work with. CEO, KIM CONCHIE. At the Chamber, we’re lobbying for some national business energy policy with a cap, a subsidy and guarantees in place now, and a long-term plan on renewables, self-sufficiency, nuclear and investment in sectors that would create their own Levelling Up effect for Cornwall - like floating offshore wind, onshore wind, solar, geothermal, lithium mining for electric batteries. We want the Government to abolish import tariffs and remove delays on components from EU countries, scrap the National Insurance Contributions increase, and delay the end of business rate relief and VAT relief for hospitality businesses until both the war in Ukraine and the aftershocks of the pandemic are over.

The Government needs to reward and encourage productivity so businesses can learn how to produce more value from fewer people – grants for investment in AI & robotics, business leadership courses, time management courses, skills development are all vitally important.

We desperately need to find incentives for young people to remain in Cornwall to pursue their careers here: housing quality and subsidy for the types of workers we need in the right place at right price is key.

Often, when writing columns in the lead up to the Business Fair, I find it difficult to convey exactly why events like this are so crucial to securing Cornwall’s future when so much of its future is in the hands of policy makers and those that dish out the funds.

It’s all down to the conversations that happen, ideas that are sparked through panel sessions and presentations, and the new business relationships that blossom as a result of connections made on the day. I firmly believe that the key to Cornwall’s success is collaboration: where there is people, there is power, and it’s this united approach that will boost productivity, reveal new opportunities, and unlock funding.

Cornwall Chamber of Commerce is an independent not-for-profit organisation accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce. We solely exist to represent businesses in Cornwall. Our events provide a platform for businesses to connect, create and make valuable business relationships. Membership to the Chamber starts from as little as £17 +VAT per month and provides you with the tools to promote your business.

Get in touch today to have a chat about how we can support you and your business.