Rugby businesses meet to discuss key issues for the region
The decision to scrap the northern leg of HS2 and continuing issues around skills were the key points of discussion at a meeting of a key business organisation in Rugby.
The Rugby branch of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce met at Rugby Borough Council’s Town Hall to discuss what issues are affecting businesses in the town and the wider borough.
Mark Pawsey, MP for Rugby and Bulkington, explained how various government decisions, including the recent cancellation of Phase 2 of HS2, would affect local businesses.
He said: “In 2012, I actually voted against HS2 as I didn’t think it would benefit Rugby enough for the money that was going to be spent on the line.
“However, once the land was acquired to construct the line, and the benefits to major Rugby employers such as CEMEX and its ability to free up capacity on local lines for people and freight was explained to me, I later voted to continue the project.
“I think we should have decided to bite the bullet and finish what we started. We’d made a lot of promises to businesses and many had made plans assuming HS2 would be delivered in full.”
Talk then turned to how businesses can find employees with the right skills, and what methods can be used to make this process easier.
Heather Docksey, Business Skills Support Officer at Warwickshire Skills Hub – run by Warwickshire County Council – explained how the service helps businesses identify skills shortages and how they can overcome them, and also works with individuals to upskill them and help them find the right job.
Corin Crane, Chief Executive of the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, explained how the recently approved West Midlands and Warwickshire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), created partly by the Chamber, is looking to address this.
He said: “We spoke to more than 1,000 businesses to create the plan, including those who wouldn’t usually participate in these sorts of exercises.
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“Their insight helped us create this plan, which explains how we can improve the picture in Coventry and Warwickshire. It involves educating businesses and individuals around what support is out there – such as the Warwickshire Skills Hub, and also investing in education to provide the right level of training for young people.”
Karen Shuter, chair of the Rugby branch, added: “It was a very interesting discussion among our members, and its clear to see skills is still a major issue for businesses in Rugby.
“One of the biggest barriers for businesses in terms of accessing support around skills is knowing where to begin.
“It’s vital therefore that the LSIP has been approved by central government, which will go some way towards helping businesses address their skills shortages and hire the right candidates.”
