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

JobCentre Plus in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire are looking for five Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce members to take part in a 90 minute breakfast event in St Albans on auto-enrolment of pensions.

 A survey released today by the British Chambers of Commerce reveals falling levels of trust in financial institutions among businesses. The results, comprising responses from 1,560 businesses, show that although banks and building societies are the main source of finance for firms, half of businesses lack trust in these financial institutions. 

London Luton Airport Operations Limited have launched a consultation on their vision for the future of the airport, and are seeking the feedback of all those who have an interest in its development and improvement. The airport is one of the region’s most important assets. It is currently the 5^th largest airport in the UK, was the fastest growing in 2011, and flies an increasing number of UK business passengers abroad on business.

Leaders from diverse walks of life will be sharing their personal and professional tales en-route to success, in a series of lectures as part of an initiative to get practice-led learning into the University of Bedfordshire.

Commenting on Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin's decision to cancel and re-run the competition to run the West Coast Main Line,Cheryl Smart MBE, Chief Executive of Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce said:

The British Chambers of Commerce’s new Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) released today (Tuesday) shows that economic growth in the UK remains weak,with the Q3 results slightly worse than the previous quarter. 

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has released the results of a survey of more than 5,000 businesses, which found that 94% of firms have been paid late, with one in four reporting that over 40% of their payments were not received on time.

What is the HMRC R&D tax credit/rebate scheme? An EU initiative allowing companies to recover development costs invested in innovative product and manufacturing processes. almost £1.1bn has already been given back to UK companies during 2010-2011, over £7.0bn since 2000. 

Commenting on Danny Alexander's speech to the Liberal Democrat Party conference, John Longworth, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:

Commenting on Vince Cable’s industrial strategy speech, Cheryl Smart MBE, Chief Executive of Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce said:

Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce’s umbrella body, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has responded to the government’s housing and planning announcements by saying that liberalising restrictions is a step in the right direction.

Commenting on reports that the government’s consultation on aviation capacity will be delayed, Cheryl Smart MBE, Chief Executive of Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce said: