The South and Mid Wales Chambers of Commerce have set out what they believe are the key priorities to stimulate economic growth in the coming year with the launch today (22 October 2013) of their 2013-14 Manifesto.
Written as a guide for the Welsh Government, UK Government and local authorities, the manifesto details how best to create an environment that will promote growth, create jobs and foster a strong and vibrant economy.
Focusing on four key areas of infrastructure and connectivity; skills and education; business advice and support, and international trade, the South and Mid Wales Chamber manifestos outline a package of measures that they believe will make a real difference to the economic future of businesses up and down the country.
The document calls for changes that will help make immediate improvements to the SME community, while also proposing initiatives that will have more of a long-term impact. Some of the key recommendations include the need for:
• improvements to the south Wales transport system with strong support given to the South Wales Metro and M4 Relief Road around Newport
• a new east-west Trans Cambrian Expressway to carry both vehicles and infrastructure through mid Wales
• support given to all homes and businesses to ensure everybody in Wales can make the most of the opportunities that superfast broadband can bring
• more investment to be put into producing renewable energy using Wales’s natural resources and more funding to be allocated to Welsh businesses manufacturing the equipment needed to obtain renewable energy
• teaching in schools to focus on basic skills in areas such as languages, numeracy and computer literacy to ensure that every person reaches a satisfactory standard before entering the workforce
• entrepreneurship to be encouraged from an early age by teaching business skills at all levels of the education system
• time afforded to Business Wales so it can bed in as a one-stop shop for business advice and increase awareness of its offering
• the creation of a new International Business Organisation to focus on providing Welsh exporters with the support they need to develop the Welsh brand abroad
• sell Wales to tourists by tailoring campaigns to different countries and regions, and assisting businesses in the tourism sector to sell to an international market
Graham Morgan, director of South and Mid Wales Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are starting to see positive signs that the Welsh economy is beginning to recover. Our last Quarterly Economic Survey showed the confidence of the Welsh business community has risen over the course of the year, with more than two thirds of businesses (89%) expecting to increase their profitability over the next year.
“However, it’s much too soon to rest on our laurels and there is no room for complacency. The recovery is still fragile and the Welsh economy lags behind other parts of the UK.
“We’ve spent the year listening to businesses across south and mid Wales, and our manifesto outlines what they’ve told us are the key issues they face, as well as solutions to address them.
“This includes the need for improvements to our transport system, which would provide the foundations of a successful Welsh economy. A new link road connecting Cardiff airport to the M4 is needed to allow people from all over Wales to access this hub, as well as a new Trans Cambrian Expressway through mid Wales, substantially cutting travelling times from large parts of mid Wales to the Midlands. We also support the proposed M4 relief road around Newport to provide better connectivity on our roads.
“The roll-out of superfast broadband is also a key component of this greater connectivity, and a significant future development of the Welsh economy. We would like to see homes and businesses given as much support as possible so they can both access, and make the most of the opportunities it brings.
“We urge the Welsh and UK Government to take note and work with us to provide the optimum conditions that will help businesses to work themselves to a more prosperous future.”
