Town Topics with Ipswich Chamber of Commerce

As a chamber, one of the issues that businesses tell us they want is influence.

Influence on the local economy, influence on local decisions makers and influence within the business community.

As a chamber we work hard on a local level to deliver that influence. We also passionately feel that on a national level we need to ensure that those making national decisions are doing so in the interest of business in Ipswich and across Suffolk.

Recently business leaders from our county have sat down for dinner with the Secretary of State for Business, Vince Cable MP, at the House of Commons. This important event, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, was to ensure the challenges we face, as the county economy continues to grow, are addressed.

Business doesn’t want a hand out from Government but they do want a hand up.

The Secretary of State left the meeting knowing for example that Suffolk is proud to be one of the few counties in Britain that is a positive contributor to UK plc.

That means we put more in the coffers than we take out.

The Secretary of State left the meeting knowing that there has to be continued investment in infrastructure such as our roads, our rail networks and out superfast broadband.

That means we need trains that business men and women want to travel on, an A14 that is fit for purpose and every business that wants it, having access to the information super highway.

The Secretary of State left the meeting knowing that firms across Ipswich and Suffolk are working harder than ever, are being more entrepreneurial than ever and together are growing our economy for the good of the whole county.

Dave Muller

Chair

Ipswich Chamber of Commerce