Business Breakfast Briefing
Make your views known now, says MP
Reading West MP Alok Sharma urged SMEs and the wider Thames Valley business community to speak out and have its opinions heard in the run up to the 2015 General Elections
“If you have a business view, employ people and invest in the economy, I think there is an onus on you to speak up because otherwise you will end up potentially with a result you don’t like.”
Alok Sharma was not directly making a hustings statement, but reflecting on some of the issues mentioned to him by Thames Valley businesspeople, not least those attending the SME briefing.
The future of Heathrow was a key topic. “Does it matter for SMEs? Well, yes, it matters for anyone who is in business in the Thames Valley,” said Sharma, pointing out that the Airports Commission recommendation was yet to be made, but due in July 2015.
“Let’s be frank, politicians of all colours, for decades, have pushed this matter into the long grass. At a time when the Chinese are building commercial airports every year, we are finally getting close after all these years to a decision on where we are going to have some expansion in the southeast.”
Expansion of Heathrow or Gatwick was a completely false choice, he stated. “We need expansion at both, they serve two totally different markets.”
Insight into entrepreneurial start-up
Tim Smith, chief executive of the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (TVB LEP) explained how the LEP would be investing £137 million, gained from recent Strategic Economic Plan
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“By 2030, by the Department of Transport’s own figures, if we do nothing we will be full in terms of airport capacity.
“I hope, whoever is in government after May 2015, will have the guts and gumption to get on with it because I don’t think we can afford any more delay.”
Fresh funding for SMEs?
“I would like to see what I describe as a British start-up equity fund, which doesn’t require lots of running through lots of hoops. If you have a good idea, you bring it forward and get a decision in a matter of weeks. It will be match-funded, require business plans, but you will be able to get those initial thousands of pounds to invest in a business.”
Although, there would be risks, and failures as well as successes, Sharma believed an equity funding structure, backed by the Government, would be self-sustaining in the long run.
The train gain
Crossrail would be very positive for the Thames Valley, Sharma felt, particularly with it now extending to Reading’s impressive new station. The region would become “more and
submissions to government and the EU, on Thames Valley improvements to infrastructure, enterprise and innovation, employability and skills, and international awareness, while supporting business growth. (Full details:
www.thamesvalleyberkshire.
co.uk or via mobile App)
Work in delivering relevant information, guidance, finance, mentoring and business knowledge to ambitious TVB businesses via
Speakers (from left): David Murray, Ed Cooper, Sai Malisetti, Alok Sharma and Tim Smith
more attractive as the place to live, work and base oneself.”
Who gets your vote?
It was the morning after UKIP had won its first MP. Sharma warned: “In 2015, if you go to bed with Farage, you will wake up with Miliband.”
Highlighting the changing national status from financial meltdown and recession to most buoyant economy in Europe, he urged businessmen to judge the Government on what it had achieved so far. “I hope you will say that these guys may not be perfect, but overall this Government has delivered for business.”
Topical discussion
Other Thames Valley topics briefly discussed during an interesting morning were lack of support for technology innovation and start-ups, progress with superfast broadband connectivity, improved flexibility of working, EU membership, skill gaps and the need for academia and the business word to collaborate better.
the LEP’s Business Growth Hub, was later detailed by VitalSix director Ed Cooper.
One of the fledgling businesses Cooper’s team had helped “find their way through the maze” was Prefer2Watch. Its founder Sai Malisetti provided the story of the company’s creation as an aspiring global provider of ethnic-relevant entertainment to ex-pats through cloud-based streaming technology.
Going for growth
Nine out of ten SMEs are now investing in growth- generating activities, and Thames Valley GDP growth is running at double the national figure of 3.2%, said host and The Business Magazine publisher David Murray.
“As economic confidence grows, the picture for SMEs is a bright one. Growth is pretty much everywhere from manufacturing to the professional services. Without a doubt we are experiencing in the south, and very much the Thames Valley, pre- recession confidence levels.”
Recruitment, equipment upgrading, new premises, competitor acquisitions were all on the tick-list, and encouragingly staff training, marketing and advertising had returned to company budgets. Upskilling, according to research, is something that 32% of SMEs plan to do in the next six months.
Recent roundtable discussions and seminars had also highlighted a focus on growing winning teams, gaining and retaining talent, and companies building on the strength of their people.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – NOVEMBER 2014
www.businessmag.co.uk
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