TECHNOLOGY

The West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce is looking to see what more can be done to support businesses working in-and-with the tech sector. A Chamber-led business support group, covering Bradford, Leeds and York & North Yorkshire, is pulling together a team of expert knowledge in order to keep firms abreast of changes, and to take advantage of commercial opportunities that are arising. The fast-moving pace of the tech sector in recent years has left some firms, especially smaller ones, struggling to keep up with industry-wide challenges, despite of the help that is currently available. The new group, managed by the Chamber’s Policy & Representation team, will look to help not only businesses currently working across all sub-sectors of tech, but also ambitious start-ups and firms that rely on the sector as a part of their operations. An initial ‘sounding out’ meeting has considered the challenges currently affecting the sector, and the Chamber will now formally create a Technology Group as part of its policy-making structure to complement some of its other sector-specific bodies, such as manufacturing, property and transport. More information and data about the sector and supply chains is now being collected before the Chamber then goes on to determine the short-term aims and longterm objectives of the group, which will also look to form alliances with other related bodies and organisations in pursuit of similar goals. The group currently consists of a range of businesses operating within the sector, but is expected to consider a wide-ranging number of issues that can affect the broader economy of West & North Yorkshire. In the initial instance, the Group will look into recruitment and skills challenges being experienced across the industry, with a focus on updating members on key regional developments and consultations with decision-makers on a local and national level. Dan Murray of Leeds List, currently Vice-President of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce, will be taking a leading role in the group as it moves forward. He said: “Developing technologies continue to have a profound impact on all our lives, not only in business, on a daily basis. It’s so important that as a regional business community we keep a handle on things, to ensure our region keeps in line and up-to-date with these fast-moving developments. I’ll be liaising closely with our members and the Chamber’s Policy & Representation team to look at a range of potential projects and initiatives, with the aim of supporting economic development and business growth.” York & North Yorkshire Chamber President, Laurence Beardmore, said: “I’m fully behind this new group looking at the ever-changing landscape of the technology sector. It’s crucial for us to keep up with those changes in order to support our members. Technological advances are helping our members to expand and grow and so it’s important for the wider development of our economy, for jobs and our futures that this sector continues to have the right support and scrutiny.” The Vice-President of Bradford Chamber, Mark Cowgill, added: “We have many businesses at the cutting edge of the tech sector and we’ll be tapping into their expertise on how to help the regional sector make the most out of a range of upcoming opportunities. Despite ongoing challenges of being in business, it is still an exciting time and this new group will have plenty to get its teeth into.”

Any businesses wanting to get involved with the Chamber’s new group should get in touch with the policy and representation team, marketing@wnychamber.co.uk.