It’s that time of year again. The schools are back, the roads are busier and people get confused about when the start of Autumn is. For what it’s worth I’m firmly in the traditional 21st September start-date camp not this meteorological season malarkey.
Football’s back in the headlines and so is politics, though to be fair this Summer it’s not really been away. Parliament reconvened earlier this week following its recess, albeit briefly, before the party conference season begins later this month and it is quite clear that the government faces a substantial and pressing agenda.
Just prior to the summer break, the government unveiled its latest business initiative: the Small Business Plan. While not as expansive as the Industrial Strategy, the Small Business Plan outlines five key areas of focus: addressing late payments; supporting business growth (with a dedicated plan coming later in the year); revitalising high streets; streamlining government procurement; and establishing a long-term vision for small enterprises. These priorities will, like the other plans launched previously, no doubt resonate with employers and business owners alike.
However, the central challenge remains: how can government translate this growing portfolio of plans and well-intentioned commitments into tangible outcomes for businesses? When all the various strategies released earlier in the year are taken as a whole, it appears that nearly every business issue now has a corresponding framework, an action plan, a strategy. At our Summer Assembly, members voiced a shared concern though — that much of what has been announced feels abstract, lacking the immediacy, impact and clarity needed to inspire confidence and, ultimately, drive growth.
One phrase well used by government is about putting money in people’s pockets. But faced with rising operational costs, from increased employer National Insurance Contributions, introduced in the Autumn Budget, to persistent inflationary pressures, the reality feels like the opposite for many. Whilst government would like employers to look ahead at the promise of better things, in reality many are wondering how to get through the here and now.
Government now more than ever has to step on the gas and start to deliver tangible benefits.
Things are happening though and in some cases what government is saying they’ll do they are actually doing it. One great example was the confirmation in August of Wigan and Leigh College as the North West’s Construction Technical Excellence College or CTEC. This is a new initiative brought in to help boost skills in key sectors. Construction was chosen as the first and 10 CTECs have been set up in England.
We have been critical in the past of government’s approach to construction – it still isn’t in the Industrial Strategy – but recognising the urgency and need for more skilled workers to enter the sector especially with that very ambitious housing target to meet, the arrival of CTECs will help start to tackle some of this.
Wigan and Leigh have a great success rate and is already a real pace setter in the sector so by creating wider links across the North West this should start to help. We know through the LSIP that the sector needs a real focus and whilst this will all take a bit of time to bed in and get people through the system it should quickly start to make a difference.
Much more needs doing – it always does – and over the next few months we’ll be working on a wide range of issues that we will need your help with. These include the next iteration of the LSIP, the advancement of the local transport strategy - particularly around rail infrastructure - the finalisation of the GM Local Growth Plan and the Get GM Working Plan, and the inevitable scrutiny of the Autumn Budget, which will reveal how the Chancellor intends to address the challenges introduced by her previous fiscal decisions.
Faced with another ‘black-hole’, tax revenue will need to be raised from somewhere and with businesses already under strain from the last Budget it will be interesting to see where the Chancellor will turn to next especially following events this week in Downing Street when the PM effectively filleted his own Treasury Team, transferring them directly into Number 10. It may be early September, but we may start seeing fireworks sooner than we thought.