Private sector growth to reign in new year, says Cowcher
Private sector growth is set to be the “key theme” of 2011, according to the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce. Speaking to Insider, chief executive George Cowcher said he would like to see the government designate the next 12 months as “a year for growth”.
Cowcher said the outlook for the next year was “positive”, and observed the private sector in Nottinghamshire is “in much better shape than it was 12 months ago”.
He said: “The outlook is positive at moment, but there are still a number of danger points which need to be addressed. Government has performed reasonably well in its approach to business policy so far. It has made welcome announcements on reducing red tape and business burdens and has taken a tough but necessary line on tackling deficit.
“However, training and skills remain firmly on the agenda, with many businesses often struggling to find staff with the right skills, experience and attitude to work. There are also concerns surrounding access to finance, particularly for small firms and these issues must be resolved without delay.
“Whilst the experiences of individual businesses will have varied greatly, on a whole, 2010 has been a year of slow but steady growth, which gives a good platform to build on in 2011 as the recovery continues.”
Cowcher said he thought businesses were “more than willing” to drive the recovery forward, but added that the coalition government must also play its part “by removing any obstacles which hamper firms in their efforts to create jobs, invest and export”.
He said: “We are set for an interesting 12 months as we enter another crucial period of the recovery. Whilst firms should still exercise a little bit of caution, there are also plenty of reasons to be optimistic about 2011.”
