Chancellor urged to continue supporting North East businesses
Rachel Reeves is delivering her spring statement tomorrow
The Chancellor is being urged to continue supporting businesses in the North East ahead of her spring statement.
Tomorrow Rachel Reeves will set out a "mini-budget."
Rhiannon Bearne, deputy chief executive at the North East Chamber of Commerce, said: "It's been a tough couple of years for businesses post-Covid, particularly with the likes of inflation in the last year or so. That said, businesses in the North East tend to be very resilient and it's really noticeable.
"Sectors like manufacturing, retail, hospitality, leisure and health and social care are some of those businesses that are and have been under particular pressures in the last year or so. That said, I was really, really pleased to find that our early data for this year was looking really quite positive and we think that's something the Chancellor should capitalise on.
"We've been really consistent in the conversations we've had with Government on behalf of North East businesses. We have to remember it's not just around the big events like the budgets and the fiscal statments, we keep that conversation going on all the time essentially. Some of the big things we've called for are investment in skills, in people, in trade and in the conditions for growth.
"We're really aware that in the North East, public sector funding plays a really big role in things like getting planning through the application system, and so what we'd like to see the Chancellor do on Wednesday is despite quite tough economic conditions that we think she's going to be facing, she really recognises some of those strengths in North East business and she really doubles down on them through a commitment to invest in our region.
"Our members have talked really consistently about a need for a stronger, fairer North East. What we'd urge the Chancellor to do on Wedesnday is not roll back from all of that really good work. There's more to do in areas like regional economic investment and in trade and if we can see the Government double down on those opportunities, we know we'll be able, as a region, to really help deliver the Government's agenda for growth."
Rayo Premium