Make your voice heard with Chamber Membership

08 Apr 2024

Published in: Black Country Chamber of Commerce News

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With the new financial year upon us, it’s important now more than ever to keep up to date with the latest economic information and trends from across the region.

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Our policy and representation work connects directly with central government, local government, policymakers, and influencers. We are a powerful platform which amplifies the voice of the local business community and ensures that the needs of Black Country firms are listened to and taken seriously.

Want to make your voice heard? There are various ways you can stay up to date with the key changes that may affect your business and contribute your views to discussions that influence policy changes at a national level.

Black Country Quarterly Economic Survey

The Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) is the most authoritative national business confidence survey, and the first to be published in each quarter.

The results of this survey are closely watched by both HM Treasury and the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee.

Your contribution helps to inform detailed economic performance and trends throughout the local region as well as decisions that impact upon interest rates and business policy.

Black Country Quarterly Economic Data Reveal

Our live QES Data Reveal is your chance to be the first to hear the latest Black Country data, alongside the national data, to give you the picture of the local and national economy.

Join us at the end of each quarter to track business confidence in the region as we navigate topics including recruitment, skills & training, and succession planning.

Members can discuss the latest data from the Black Country QES survey in-person, pose questions to the wider chamber network, hear strategies from our guest speakers and share first-hand experience with fellow businesses.

Bank of England Panel

Meetings such as this are a cornerstone of our Policy, Lobbying and Representation work and ensures that Chamber members are kept up to date with goings on at the national level.

This session is an opportunity to hear an update from the Bank of England (BoE) as they outline the national economic outlook and real time intelligence collected by the Bank’s network of Agents from businesses up and down the country. ? To ensure that the BoE’s economic policy represents all areas and sectors of the UK economy, members are also asked to give a brief update on a variety of business policy issues which can help build the Bank’s understanding of the local and national economy.

Please note, this is a free event for Gold, Platinum and Patron members only. Book your place

Meet Your MP

These roundtables are hosted where possible within the constituency, and all our members who are based in the constituency are invited to attend and have their say directly with their elected representative.

These have proved to be very popular, and members value the opportunity to speak to MPs personally. Keep an eye out for the next one.

All the opportunities above are valuable tools to ensure your voices reach key influencers to create change.

Your views also contribute to the Future of the Economy initiative led by the British Chambers of Commerce’s Business Council, which cover five key policy areas:

• People and Work - calls for better skills planning at a national, local, employer and individual level, including longer term investment in Local Skills Improvement Plans.
• Global Britain - includes proposals to raise the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the UK and to increase the amount of goods and services we export.
• Digital Revolution – coming soon…
• Green Innovation - outlines a series of proposals for policymakers, to help accelerate the UK's transition to net-zero.
• Local Economy of the Future - sets out 16 policies that could transform the UK’s growth potential by empowering businesses, communities, and local government.

Together we create a powerful voice to lobby to local and national Government to overcome business challenges and embrace opportunities.

To learn more, subscribe to our bi-weekly Policy newsletter and for further enquiries contact Policy & Impact Officer Gemma Edwards at gemmaedwards@blackcountrychamber.co.uk.