Sheffield Chamber visits Downing Street to discuss £1.2bn “Investment Zone’

Louisa Harrison-Walker, chief executive of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, visited 11 Downing Street alongside other Chamber CEOs on July 4 to discuss current business challenges.

Chamber chief executives from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) were invited to have a meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to raise awareness and discuss solutions on a variety of key challenges that are currently topping the business agenda.

The Chamber network spoke to the Chancellor on three main issues: utilising planning for growth, sorting out the National Grid queuing system and tackling the UK’s tight labour market.

Louisa Harrison-Walker’s presence at this meeting was key to ensuring that Sheffield, and South Yorkshire, continue to have a strong voice on a national level. This ensures that the issues affecting individuals and businesses in South Yorkshire are raised, understood, and hopefully, addressed.

The timing of the meeting came as South Yorkshire was announced as the UK’s first ‘Investment Zone’. Communities in Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, and Barnsley can expect thousands of new jobs and £1.2bn of investment as part of the scheme.

Louisa Harrison-Walker, CEO of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, commented: “It was an honour to be invited to represent Sheffield and South Yorkshire at the BCC’s meeting with the Chancellor earlier this month.

“With the incredible growth we are currently witnessing in Sheffield and the wider region, planning was a key topic that needed to be addressed, and I’m glad that we were given the time to discuss this in detail.

“With meetings like these, we can ensure that the Government are aware of the key issues impacting business, so they can support us not only on a national level, but locally and regionally as well.”

Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, added: “It was incredibly useful to connect chamber chief executives and the businesses they represent with the Chancellor today to lay out their experiences on the ground.

“It was encouraging to see the Chancellor listening so intently to discussions around unlocking the potential for greater investment in our local areas as well as the importance of getting UK businesses back to growth.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily