C&W Chamber launches General Election ‘manifesto’

BUSINESS leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire have helped set out a new manifesto for growth ahead of next year’s General Election.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce has been working with colleagues at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) to set out business priorities to ensure that the improvement in the economy continues.

The Chamber has set out seven key business priorities which it feels can help deliver a range of aspirations for the country, which will bring additional economic benefits to the region.

Those aspirations include having the lowest rate of youth unemployment in Europe by 2020 and fastest GDP growth rate in the G7 over the lifetime of the next Parliament.

Angela Tellyn, partnership manager at the Chamber, who leads the organisation’s policy work, said: “There is no doubt that the economy is improving and that companies across Coventry and Warwickshire are, in the main, much more buoyant than they have been at any other time over the past six or seven years.

“But the message from the Chamber here in Coventry and Warwickshire and at national level is that there is absolutely no room for complacency.

“That is why we have worked with the BCC to put together this manifesto for all of the political parties ahead of next year’s election.

“We didn’t want to leave it until any closer to the election because we want politicians to see the views of businesses and very much take them on board when setting out their own manifestos.”

Manifesto priorities include preparing young people for work and investing in skills, as well as supporting those currently in work through a new childcare contribution scheme.

Growing exports – to help reach £1trillion of sales by 2020 – is also a key priority including a new fast-track passport issue scheme for exporters to help businesses respond to opportunities quickly.

Improvements to infrastructure are already taking place across Coventry and Warwickshire but the Chamber wants a further commitment from parties to ensure that Britain’s infrastructure as a whole reaches world class standards.

Cutting business costs – including freezing business rates until 2017 – is also in the Chamber’s manifesto along with a commitment to review the whole business rates system ready for implementation by 2022.

Supporting long-term business investment as well as delivering a new settlement for UK in Europe are also high on the agenda.

At a more regional level, the manifesto calls for businesses to be placed at the heart of local growth, including a business ratepayers’ vote on local economic strategy, including a vote on proposed changes to business taxation.

Tellyn said: “This is a very fulsome manifesto and we are very pleased with the input we have had, which has been directed by our regular conversations with companies across the city and the county.

“Businesses don’t expect Government to deliver growth but we expect it to put in place the right conditions to help foster growth and we believe that the proposals set out in the manifesto will help.”