Paula Basnett, Chief Executive of Wirral Chamber of Commerce, introduced a report and gave a presentation which provided an overview of the Council’s Business Support Service with Wirral Chamber and a flavour of activities delivered by the organisation outside of the Council’s contract to support Members.

There were approximately 600 businesses which were members of the Chamber, representing 45,000 employees, of whom about 40,000 would be residents of Wirral. Up to 1,200 businesses were supported by the Chamber as the contract with the Council was to support any business, and not just the businesses which were members. This meant that approximately 80,000 – 90,000 residents were represented through the Chamber. She also elaborated on the figures in the report, such as jobs created, businesses supported and assisted, partnership working and the priorities for moving forward.

Responding to comments from Members, Paula Basnett agreed to look into the matter of the relationship between the Chamber and those involved in organising the Heritage Open Days on the Wirral. With regard to apprenticeships she stated that through the Liverpool City Region a dedicated ‘skills broker’ would be employed from 1 April to work with businesses and understand what skills shortages there were. Also, high on that agenda would be apprenticeships and to understand what the barriers to businesses were in taking on apprentices. With regard to jobs created, the Chamber worked with a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system and this confirmed the number of jobs created / safeguarded through the Chamber.

A Member referred to the success of the Woodside Ferry Village and the food outlet businesses there, some of which had been able to move to individual premises. Paula Basnett concurred that this had been a great success with the re-purposing of the former ferry terminal building. Similar plans for other buildings, including Egerton House which could be used by smaller digital and technical companies were also being progressed.

Responding to further comments, David Armstrong, Assistant Chief Executive, confirmed that Pacific Road was a textbook example of Council owned buildings being put to use for the benefit of small businesses, along with the former Municipal building and the Council, with the Chamber, would continue to look at more of its buildings which could be put to such uses into the future, either indefinitely or for a shorter period until other uses were found.

Commenting further, Alan Evans, Director of Regeneration and Place, stated that there were a number of projects which the Council was working on with the Chamber, and partner organisations, including Mersey Maritime and associated clean technologies and other advanced manufacturing. With regard to the supply chains for businesses, Paula Basnett added that there were six sector forums meeting quarterly looking at this and this was helping businesses to collaborate.

In response to more comments, Paula Basnett stated that as well as Wirral businesses, there were some businesses from Chester, Ellesmere Port and Liverpool which were also members of the Chamber. With the Chamber’s contract with the Council, businesses could be supported for up to two years and with the Liverpool City Region contract businesses could be supported for two years and beyond. With regard to those businesses that failed within the first twelve months she would have to supply that answer in writing. The Chamber was able to offer support to any business from a single person business up to a business the size of Typhoo, from community interest companies to social enterprises to private companies. In respect of engagement with schools, the Young Chamber engaged with 22 secondary schools and 6 primary schools in Wirral and help was also provided to teachers to enable them to help their pupils engage with industry and business sectors in the community, along with support for businesses going into schools to explain what opportunities there were and not just for children going onto further education.

The Chair then thanked Paula Basnett for her comprehensive presentation to the Committee and it was –

Resolved – That the presentation and report be noted.