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

• BCC’s Quarterly Economic Survey for Q1 2013 shows progress, with almost all major balances improving compared with Q4 2012. 
• British businesses are resilient, but many balances are still below pre-recession levels and growth remains too low.

• John Longworth: “These results provide a glimpse of the as-yet-distant sunlit uplands of recovery. Businesses up and down the country are working hard to drive the economy, create jobs and export, but they cannot accelerate this process alone.”

Do you own your own company?   Do you need to attract more customers?  Would you benefit from some marketing advice?  A new documentary series about SMEs wants to hear from you.

For the first time businesses are being offered interactive support with their tax affairs by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

BIS Minister Michael Fallon has announced that the government are looking for two Entrepreneurs in Residence. They want to bring small businesses and entrepreneurs in to the heart of government in order to ensure that policy decisions have the small firm perspective taken into account from the very outset.

Lord Young is leading a review into barriers holding back SME growth. The key areas the review will focus on are HR, finance, new markets, business planning, and subsequent issues around these that affect businesses as they grow.

The BCC will be responding to the call for evidence and we are keen to hear views from members on two issues in particular: