The Presidents View - Dec 2016
Released On 26th Jan 2017
Another year has passed with it’s opportunities and challenges, punctuated with the EU Referendum and the shock election of Donald Trump as US President. The long-term effects of these changes remains to be seen, but I hope that you were able to make good progress with your business activities during 2016. I also hope that you were able to take time out over the festive season to recharge your batteries, and can hit the ground running, prepared for the opportunities and challenges that 2017 will bring.
To round off 2016, I thought it would be good to reflect on the highlights of Chamber activities during 2016.
2016 opened with two major events in partnership with Yeovil College. 14th January saw the launch of Employer Ambassadors, a joint venture with Yeovil College. Twelve months on, Employer Ambassadors continues to attract employers and business people into Yeovil College to mentor students and assist with aligning the curriculum to match the local employment market. This was closely followed in March by Yeovil College becoming our first ever patron in the ninety-seven year history of Yeovil Chamber, as recognition for the work with the Employer Ambassador scheme and other activity to promote Yeovil College to the business community. We are currently working with Yeovil College on a Business Leader Summit, featuring high-profile industry figures and our MP to discuss the health of the local business economy, which relies heavily on the presence of Leonardo and the NHS as major employers, and to launch the Yeovil College Leadership & Management Academy.
South Somerset District Council now refer to Yeovil Chamber as a ‘key stakeholder’ in the 2016-2020 Economic Development plans, and Chamber is now in partnership with SSDC, helping drive forward the town centre proposition. As part of this co-operation, Executive member and manager of Beales department store Andrew Oakley sits on the Crime & Safety team, which liaises with SSDC, the Police and the Yeovil Crime Reduction Team. President meets bi-monthly with Peter Gubbins, Chair of SSDC Area South team to assist with the town centre focus, gain the bigger picture view, and to put across the ideas and views of our members.
Out of our work with SSDC, May saw the launch of the BA20 Forum. Hosted bi-monthly at Beales restaurant by Beales manager and Chamber Executive member Andrew Oakley, who devised the concept. The BA20 Forum allows town centre retail/leisure/hospitality sector business people to informally meet with local officials at the end of a working day. The relaxed informal setting is designed to build trust and personal relationships between local authority figures and the business sector. With the support of SSDC, the BA20 Forum is rapidly becoming recognised as the voice of the town centre business community, and is already a significant influence on the delivery of the town centre proposition. Subject to the level of engagement, it is the Chamber aim to develop the BA20 Forum into a town centre Business & Trade Group, as a special function under the Chamber umbrella, with direct access to SSDC Area South Team.
As a result of member input and Chamber lobbying, Chamber received in May the first regular bi-annual briefing from senior officers at Somerset County Council Highways team. The presence of town-planning qualified Lin Cousins on the Chamber Executive now sees Chamber enjoying a two-way relationship with SCCH. One notable quick win from these briefings was a deferral until June/July 2017 of the potentially disruptive A30 Sherborne-Yeovil dual carriageway resurfacing and drainage works, which were originally planned to occur during November/December 2016.
In July, Somerset Chamber selected Yeovil Chamber as co-host for their regular county-wide Business to Business dinners (pictured right) at the lavish Lanes Hotel, in West Coker. This was notable as the second Somerset Chamber B2B Dinner with Yeovil Chamber in eight months, and an opportunity to explain to the 40+ delegates the distinct difference in benefits between County and Town Chamber membership, and the activities of what CEO Somerset Chamber Graham Knight described as: “The busiest Town Chamber in Somerset.”
July also delivered the first of our new-look MP Working Lunches. Your man at Westminster, Marcus Fysh discussed, informed, and answered questions on issues raised by Chamber members. Business rates, Leonardo Helicopters, broadband and highways were on the agenda; Marcus was candid and open with his answers, and there was plenty to discuss around the table. A post-lunch online survey amongst our members delivered feedback on their broadband experience, which Marcus is now using in his discussions with senior management at BT.
In the wake of attention-grabbing headlines of ASB, which threatened to undermine recent good progress made towards supporting the town-centre economy, Chamber contacted Avon & Somerset Police & Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens. This contact resulted in an 8th October meeting between Chamber and senior police officers. Out of this meeting Chamber were able to secure an assurance from the Police that the crime reporting process would be reviewed, and possibly streamlined to make the process more user-friendly.
In October, I presented a briefing to Yeovil Town Council. I described how Chamber works, and it’s function within the business community, along with our aims goals and achievements. I also took the opportunity to say that the days of prescribing to the town centre are over; that we are now in the era of the ‘destination town’, and for this to happen in Yeovil requires the local authority to allow the ‘high street’ business community to drive the proposition. It is hoped that this briefing will encourage Yeovil Town Council into the creative world of town centre business development as part of our ongoing work with the District Council.
In conjunction with Dorchester and Sherborne Chambers, October also delivered the first of what will be a regular Meet The Neighbours breakfast. A staggering ninety-five attendees enjoyed a top-quality breakfast at the George Albert Hotel, mid-way between Yeovil and Dorchester, followed by a run-down of the respective Chamber activities and a well-organised networking session. The single event has now extended the range of potential customers and business opportunities for many of the attendees from north and south of the Somerset-Dorset border. (Picture credit; Luke Woods Photography)
Our relationship with Leonardo Helicopters, Yeovil’s largest employer, and the largest Chamber member, continues to flourish. During 2016, dialogue commenced between Chamber and senior Leonardo managers. I am meeting with Leonardo CEO John Ponsonby on 13th January to discuss business community activities, obtain a briefing on what the future holds for design and build at the Yeovil site, and identify opportunities for cooperation between Leonardo and the burgeoning Technology hub that is beginning to evolve in Yeovil.
In December we announced the launch of our Member 2 Member scheme. To join in, email Hello@yeovilchamber.org with the details of your special offers. Chamber will circulate these offers amongst other members via the monthly e.news. All current Chamber members will be issued with a discount voucher, for distribution with their employees and families. When they make contact to buy your services/products, the claimant will either display the voucher on their email, or on their mobile device on arrival at your premises, in order to claim the special offer/discount.
Underpinning all of the above, and at the heart of everything Chamber does, are the networking opportunities delivered via regular high-quality networking meetings. Augmenting our bi-monthly Speed Networking and quarterly Ladies’ Cream Teas, Chamber actively supports and promotes member events and workshops. 2016 Chamber event highlights were: MP Question Time in July, The Last of the Summer Lunch in July, and the Christmas Dinner with crazy jumper competition in December. Everything Chamber does is focused on supporting and empowering you.
Yeovil Chamber of Trade & Commerce is run voluntarily by business people, for the benefit of business people in and around Yeovil. Chamber promotes networking and business opportunities, and support for member businesses via our unrivalled influence and connections with key figures in local, regional and national government, and other stakeholders in the Yeovil business community. Chamber membership starts at just £53 per year.
Thank you for reading this edition of our e.news - please forward it on to a colleague. If you have any issues you would like Chamber to know about, or take up on your behalf, please email or call me. Criticism is an opportunity to improve what we do.
