BIRMINGHAM Chamber of Commerce and Industry fell into the red as the business body saw more than 170 organisations cancel their membership.
In its full-year accounts for the period ended March 31, 2011, the Edgbaston-based group finished with a deficit after tax of £146,000 compared with a £170,000 surplus in 2010.
It said the deficit was after an additional depreciation of £28,000 from the revaluation of long leasehold property.
Income increased year-on-year from £9.9m to £10.6m while operating deficit was £115,000, from a surplus of £199,000 in March 2010.
These latest accounts, filed at Companies House, also show that membership at the year end had fallen by 5.6% from 3,083 to 2,909.
However, the rate of decline in membership is slowing as there had been an 8.8% decrease the previous year, with income from members and patrons totalling £1.2m, up from £1m in 2010.
Nearly £180,000 of this increase came from additional membership following the merger with Southern Staffordshire Chambers and the British American Business Council in spring last year.
A chamber spokesman said: “It’s a challenging time at the moment with people looking carefully at how they spend their money and it’s been incumbent on us to add value for members and that’s what we’re aiming to do.
“Membership has held up pretty steadily and things have turned around quite a bit since the year end.”
Looking ahead, the directors’ report added: “BCCI’s 2011-14 business plan has reaffirmed the commitment to increasing membership by improving the offer to members.
“In order to do this, the group has to be successful financially and so we will continue to pursue commercial opportunities.
“BCCI will also continue to grow its relationship with partner organisations with the aim of developing mutually advantageous projects.”
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