Latest updates and stories from Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce and its Members

Ed Balls speech: concrete measures required to maintain credibility with business.Commenting on the Labour Party Conference speech by the Shadow Chancellor, Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said:

Chuka Umunna speech: high-level apprenticeships would benefit employers and young people

On Thursday 29th August, everyone headed to the Bucks County Show at Weedon Park, near Aylesbury, in fact over 26,000 people in total which made it a record breaking year!

• Retail sales volumes for August 2013: down 0.9% on the month; up 2.1% on the year
• The August fall comes after a strong increase in July, and the trend in sales remains clearly upward, with an increase of 1.7% in the three months to August, compared with the previous three months
• Annual inflation in the retail sector slowed from 1.8% in July 2013 to 1.6% in August 2013

Conservation By Design (CXD) has celebrated its 21st Anniversary as the industry’s leading conservation storage and display expert by hosting a day of intimate and informal seminars at its Bedford-based manufacturing facilities.

FREE language courses at the University of Bedfordshire are now available to Luton businesses looking to expand into international markets.

Businesses based in the Luton area are set to benefit from a free* University of Bedfordshire five-day course leading to an internationally recognised project management qualification.

Award winning company EFM  tells the world as it rebrands and announces the launch of its new website, how it has always differentiated itself from a normal accountancy practice and how its unique solution of giving businesses access to full time finance professionals at part time cost has helped a multitude of clients become more successful at what they do.

Commenting on Business Secretary Vince Cable’s speech at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference, John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said:

The wait is finally over, Bedford Film Festival have announced their full programme which includes locally filmed, Wayland’s Song, an outdoor screening of cult classic Quadrophenia and a preview screening of family film, Turbo.

‘The Great British Workforce Revolution’ Conference.
London. 9.00 am – 6.00pm Wednesday 16th October 2013.

Starting Year 10 or post 16 next September?

• In the three months to July 2013, unemployment fell 24,000, and employment rose 80,000, compared with the previous quarter
• In the three months to July 2013, the unemployment rate was 7.7%, down slightly from 7.8%
• Youth unemployment (16-24 year olds) rose 9,000 to 960,000, and the unemployment rate in this age group was 21%
• Between March and June 2013, public sector employment fell 34,000, and private sector employment rose 114,000

The University of Bedfordshire’s Knowledge Hub has teamed up with Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedford Borough Council to rollout an innovative leadership and management training programme.

TWO eco-friendly business experts are to visit the University of Bedfordshire’s Knowledge Network to discuss the lucrative energy efficient technology market.

The University of Bedfordshire's award winning Careers and Recruitment Services provides a professional agency style solution for business recruitment needs that enables you to recruit quality staff, free of charge!

Commenting on the MPC decision, announced today by the Bank of England, David Kern, Chief Economist at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:

Commenting on the publication of an independent review of infrastructure by Sir John Armitt, chairman of the Olympic Development Authority, Dr Adam Marshall, Director of Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said;

A new crackdown on tax evasion will make information on all credit and debit card payments to UK businesses available to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the first time.

UltraVision CLPL’s new mobile and web fitting app makes eye care practitioners’ lives easier and lenses can be prescribed faster. The fitting app for KeraSoft IC reduces chair time in assessing irregular cornea patients and acts as a data recording and transmission centre.

Would you be interested in purchasing a small but successful forklift training company based in Bedfordshire?

The Incuba is an exciting new build business support and learning centre being opened by Central Bedfordshire College October this year in Dunstable. There are 20 incubation offices for up to 70 staff and four classrooms in addition to meeting rooms and conference space. 

Apprenticeship grants are available via the National Apprenticeship Service to support businesses to recruit new 16-24 year olds as apprentices.    Employers have until December 2014 to claim up to ten grants of £1.5 k each (subject to eligibility and availability, grant applications are considered on a first come first served basis).

Families and business people from the Bedfordshire area are invited to an event to mark the 30th anniversary of one of the region’s most successful businesses. Wyboston Lakes Conference and Leisure Centre, close to St Neots, is holding a varied and exciting family fun day on Sunday 1st September from 1 p.m.

Ever felt like telling the government what it’s really like being in business in 2015?

These days she definitely wears the trousers but when Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce’s Chief Executive Cheryl Smart MBE joined Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce 25 years ago female staff were forbidden from wearing them.

• Quarterly GDP growth in Q2 2013, revised up from 0.6% to 0.7%
• All the main sectors of the economy show positive growth in Q2
• Business investment rose 0.9%, and there was a particularly large rise in investment in dwellings (13.3%)
• There was a significant improvement in the net trade position, with exports rising 3.6% on the quarter and imports by 2.5%

Commenting on today’s GCSE results, John Wastnage, Employment and Skills Adviser at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said:

Are you a PA or Secretary, Manager or Boss? Are you prepared to lift the lid on your experiences at work?

Could your business work with universities to a greater degree?   Central Bedfordshire Council is asking managers of local businesses to take part in a survey which begins on 19th August 2013.