Cuts could lead to new reality

By LBV

15 Sep 2010

The Chamber recently hosted a Manufacturing meeting and the challenges and opportunities for the sector were starkly clear.

Firstly, on the public-sector or publicly-funded supply side, the message was of funding reductions and uncertainty of their position, if any after the comprehensive spending review in the autumn. This was equally the case whether a university, sector-organisation, business support or regional agency.

Whatever one’s views of these various bodies, there is little doubt that some form of public intervention will be necessary going forward if the UK is to maximise a manufacturing and export led recovery.

Secondly, the businesses represented described an equally uncertain world, albeit with more of a combination of optimism as well as caution. Defence and aerospace, on which a large part of the local economy depends, awaits with trepidation the outcome of the spending review.

The nuclear industry sees massive growth potential but tempered by the realities of international competition and the need for clear direction from government. As if these major policy calls weren’t confusing enough, there’s little detail like the huge paradox of it being more lucrative to burn some of industry’s organic raw materials, due to the incentives for ‘bio-fuel’, causing shortages and inflation.

We have held very positive meetings with our MPs on these issues and believe that they are committed to championing the cause.

There is also a review of business support underway nationally and we will be campaigning with vigour. Please tell us if there are issues you wish to raise.

Almost unnoticed, among the mass of current initiatives and statements are some potentially hugely profound developments for industry in the field of further education and skills.

There are two immediate consultations by BIS: ‘A simplified further education and skills funding system and methodology’ and ‘skills for sustainable growth’. While they are complex, our summary would be that in future education may only be paid if it prepares its students for the world of work and jobs.

Some of the ‘soft courses’ are already being ditched. Industry has been calling for this for a long, long time. This also means that the educational and skills institutions will have to make more determined efforts to understand the needs of employers.

The Chamber chairs the Pennine Lancashire Skills Board which finds much to like in the documents. Again please let us know if you have comments and we will feed them directly in to our response.

This leads on to another current initiative, Local Enterprise Partnerships, which are causing some comment. These are to be the local strategic mechanism, responding to the notion of small government and, after a swathe of regional and local intermediaries are swept away, to be based on ‘natural economies’ and public:private partnerships led by business.

The Chamber has been providing evidence of the interventions that would enhance the Pennine Lancashire economy – whether infrastructure, transport, skills, housing and enterprise, based on information, experience and partnership working over a long period.

We await the sponsoring departments, both BIS (Vince Cable) and CLG (Eric Pickles), who have so far only called for broad expressions of interest, defining the working meanings of ‘local’ and ‘enterprise’. We can then build on the preliminary dialogues and consultations that we have had with members and the wider private sector, and only take up any more of their precious time once we have tangible issues to consider and know what authority LEPs may have.

Finally, Pennine Lancashire’s Food Festival was kicked off in style by Northcote Manor’s Nigel Haworth at Ewood Park with 5,000 people turning up and the exhibitors generally sold out. This greatly encourages us in our efforts to promote the Pennine Lancashire visitor economy.

Michael Damms
Chamber of Commerce East Lancashire
 

Enjoyed this? Read more from LBV

Latest news

1

Partner promotions at WNJ Stuart Mercer, left, and Matthew Johnson

Partner promotions at WNJ

21 May 2025

2

Accrington-made Vita Advanced Mattress wins prestigious 'Best of the Best' Award at Interzum 2025 Dr. Emily Schweissinger - Evonik, Dr. Roland Hubel - Evonik, Dr Mike Murray - The Vita Group, Natalie Watson - The Vita Group, Chris Hupfeld - Coverstro, Dr. Annegret Terheiden - Evonik and Dennis Wagner - Covestro

Accrington-made Vita Advanced Mattress wins prestigious 'Best of the Best' Award at Interzum 2025

21 May 2025

3

Napthens advises Calico Homes on land acquisition for £23m Dovestone Gardens extra care facility in Burnley Paul Hardy

Napthens advises Calico Homes on land acquisition for £23m Dovestone Gardens extra care facility in Burnley

21 May 2025

4

Construction begins on new Civil Service office building in Talbot Gateway Alan McBride Muse Will Town Defence Infrastructure Organisation Jennifer Chard Defence Business Services Cllr Lynn Williams Blackpool Council Garry Bowker Vinci

Construction begins on new Civil Service office building in Talbot Gateway

20 May 2025

5

Skiddle raises over £750,000 for charities Skiddle cheque presentation to Alder Hey Hospital

Skiddle raises over £750,000 for charities

20 May 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV122 May/June Launch Event
121 Lancashire Business View Magazine Launch
Networking
21 May 2025

LBV122 May/June Launch Event

Lancaster and Morecambe College, Lancaster, LA1 2TY

08:30 - 10:30

Sub36 Networking
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

British Jewellery School, Scorton, PR3 1BA

15:00 - 17:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200pxtrident 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

Amber River True Bearing quarterly investment seminar
LBV Hub Seminars
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

Amber River True Bearing quarterly investment seminar

Cottons Hotel & Spa , Knutsford, WA16 0SU

16:00 - 18:00

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Mytton Fold, Langho, BB6 8AB

11:30 - 14:15

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: May
Freelancer Meet-Up May.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: May

society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Liverpool Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-881365363-4862066883-1-original.20241023-085714.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
23 May 2025 - 23 May 2025

Liverpool Business Expo 2025

Aintree Racecourse , Liverpool , L9 5AS

09:00 - 15:00

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 29
Artboard 15.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
29 May 2025 - 29 May 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 29

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin