The President of the North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Dawn Cheetham, has called on the Government to start fixing some of the fundamentals to make business and the economy prosper.
Addressing the Chambers 102nd Annual General Meeting, Dawn Cheetham urged the Government to develop a long-term prosperity plan for the country, devoid of politics. She said: “Successive governments have acknowledged that more could be done to get the basics right for business. Indeed, the current government’s developing Industrial Strategy is up-front about many of these challenges. Yet the leadership and the infrastructure simply aren’t there to make change happen.
“Business needs well maintained highways, new and improved railway infrastructure, capacity improvements at our airports, and new runways.
Mrs. Cheetham also went to say “We need to unlock the great potential this country has from its own resources such as hydraulically fractured shale gas extraction. We need to build more homes, invest in connectivity, stabilise the training and apprenticeships system and end the annual tax wheezes that see businesses facing ever-higher financial burdens and cash flow pressures before they turn over a single pound”.
Minister for Security, The Rt. Hon. Ben Wallace MP, joined members at the event and spoke about his passion for the county, saying: “This region has a significant untapped potential in our natural reserves of shale gas. We should look towards emerging technologies with a balanced and scientific approach, not with hysteria”.
He added: “Cyber Crime is more prevalent than before and is significantly more lucrative for those involved in financial deceit, than traditional theft. I have been urging Police and Crime Commissioners across the country to strengthen their approach to online crime that costs businesses, and consumers, billions of pounds per year.
The Minister promoted a suite of online Government resources to assist businesses and members of the public becoming victims of cyber fraud.
Concluding his address, the Minister paid testament to the work of the Chamber and the influence exerted by the organisation on behalf of its members at all levels. He said he was “particularly impressed with the Chamber’s approach to representing the businesses it serves”.
