Ensuring business voices are heard through the Local Business Forum

Firstly, I’d like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year and, also, pay my congratulations to our former local MP Marcus Jones who received a knighthood over the festive period.

One of my final duties of 2024 as chair of the Local Business Forum was to meet with Rachel Taylor, the Labour MP for North Warwickshire and Bedworth, at her local constituency office.

I was one of a small group of business leaders invited in to offer a perspective from companies in the region, reflecting on the first few months of the new Government and, more importantly, looking ahead to the coming year and beyond.

First and foremost, I always think it is a positive sign when a local MP wants to hear the views of businesses because we are at the sharp end of investment and recruitment decisions – and it’s the wealth that gets created by business that goes towards the public services we all rely on.

We covered a range of topics in the discussion from the recent Budget through to skills and employability.

The general feeling on the Budget was that it was trailed for too long and created a gloomy picture for the economy so soon after the new Government came into power.

And, what followed, was businesses being hit by rising costs – notably the minimum wage increase and employers’ National Insurance contributions.

Of course, as business leaders, we understand that health, education, and infrastructure, are all vital to the success of our businesses as well as the wellbeing of the nation, and we appreciate that some of the cost burden will fall to us.

But there is a real feeling now that we need stability and certainty and, therefore, we need to know that the Government is not going to increase business taxation again and again throughout the Parliament.

Rachel Taylor has, herself, run businesses and understands where we are coming from which is good to hear. We need more political leaders who understand the challenges we face in creating wealth and prosperity for our area.

One of the questions posed to us was on the outlook for the region and what we, as a group of businesses, see as the positives moving forward.

The promise to invest, invest, invest and to get Britain building are exciting opportunities and the Government needs to move the dial on that narrative in the new year.

From my perspective and through my day job, I can see the positive developments that are coming through at HORIBA MIRA and I can see how this region has the potential to be a powerhouse on EVs and other future technologies, such as hydrogen.

So, as we reach the halfway stage of a very tumultuous decade so far, I believe we can look forward with confidence and I am pleased that we’ve already started an open dialogue with one of our local MPs. If you have thoughts to raise, please get in touch through the Chamber to ensure all our voices are heard.