I am pleased to circulate this month’s newsletter, our first of 2023. This is shaping up to be another busy year and we hope to see you at our upcoming events.
VIEW OUR 2023 PROGRAMME OF EVENTS HERE.
REGISTER FOR OUR UPCOMING EVENTS HERE.
In this update, we have included information on:
• Newry Chamber Members’ Survey Results: December 2022
• The SRC BIG Apprenticeship Event
• Business Rates Reval2023 Information Session
• Energy Bill Relief Scheme Update
• Independent Review of Invest NI
• Future Opportunities in the Cross-Border Economy Conference
• Newry, Mourne and Down Job Fair
You can also view our Strategy Summary – 2023 & Beyond HERE.
If you would like to discuss any issue, please get in touch with the Chamber team:
Tony McKeown, tony@newrychamber.com
Ursula Savage, ursula@newrychamber.com
Jarlath Meehan, jarlath@newrychamber.com
Tony McKeown
Chief Executive Officer
Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade
MEMBERS’ SURVEY RESULTS: DECEMBER 2022
Please click on the link below to view the results of our latest members’ survey from December 2022. Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey.
The main benefits of Chamber membership reported included business contacts, networking and events.
The main challenges facing our members at present were reported as rising costs, business development and skills and recruitment.
The results of this survey has also shaped our events programme and policy priorities for the year ahead.
We will continue to survey members throughout the year and we would appreciate it if you could complete these surveys whenever they arrive in your email inbox.
VIEW SURVEY RESULTS HERE
THE SRC BIG APPRENTICESHIP EVENT
DATE: Tuesday 7th February 2023
TIME: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
VENUE: SRC Newry West Campus
COST: FREE
We are delighted to support the SRC again this year with their BIG Apprenticeship Event which takes place on Tuesday 7th February 2023 from 5:30pm – 7:30pm at their Newry West Campus.
The general public and potential apprentices, along with their parents and guardians will have the opportunity to meet with over 40 exhibitors including local employers, careers advisors, support organisations and many more to have a one-to-one chat about Apprenticeship and Higher Level Apprenticeship options for 2023.
Throughout the event, attendees will be able to ‘drop in’ and hear from current and past apprentices with sessions entitled ‘My HLA/Apprenticeship Journey’.
BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE HERE
EVENT: BUSINESS RATES REVAL2023 INFORMATION SESSION
DATE: Friday 17th February 2023
TIME: 10am – 11am
VENUE: Custom House, Newry
COST: FREE
Newry Chamber and Newry BID invite you to attend a FREE information event to help answer your questions on the recent draft publication of business rates.
Land & Property Services released draft valuations of almost 75,000 businesses in NI on 11th January 2023.
Known as Reval2023, this revaluation process will result in a new non-domestic Valuation List being used to calculate business rate bills from April 2023.
Angela McGrath, the Commissioner of Valuation and Gary Humphrey, NI Reval2023 Project Manager will present at the event and we would encourage all businesses to check their valuation HERE.
You will have the chance to ask any questions you have relating to business rates or your own circumstances.
BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE HERE
UPDATE: ENERGY BILL RELIEF SCHEME
HELP FOR NON-DOMESTIC CUSTOMERS IN NI
The schemes provide energy bill relief for non-domestic customers in GB and NI. Discounts will be applied to energy usage initially between 1st October 2022 and 31st March 2023.
This guidance covers both the GB and NI schemes and explains any differences between them.
The Government has announced a new Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) from April 2023 to April 2024 for eligible non-domestic consumers in GB and NI.
The current Energy Bill Relief Scheme available from 1st October 2022 comes to an end in March 2023.
It supports businesses and public sector organisations such as schools and hospitals by providing a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices.
On 17th October 2022 it was announced that an HM Treasury-led review of the scheme would determine support beyond March 2023.
VIEW GUIDANCE HERE
REPORT: INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF INVEST NI
As you may be aware, Former Minister Gordon Lyons commissioned this review to provide an independent assessment of Invest NI’s efficiency and effectiveness and looking forward, its capacity to strategically align with and operationally deliver the 10X Economic Vision.
The Department for the Economy has now published a report in respect of the Independent Review of Invest NI.
The review was undertaken by an Independent Review Panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons and comprising Dame Rotha Johnston DBE and Maureen O’Reilly.
Whilst the report found Invest NI to be the best placed organisation to take this work forward, there remains a need for fundamental agency reform.
The panel have therefore identified recommendations across 17 broad areas, designed to facilitate this necessary change.
All of these recommendations will be for an incoming Economy Minister, DfE and Invest NI to implement.
VIEW A COPY OF THE REPORT HERE
CROSS-BORDER ECONOMY TRADE CONFERENCE
DATE: Wednesday 8th March 2023
TIME: 9am – 1pm
VENUE: Carrickdale Hotel & Spa
COST: FREE
Over 200 business representatives have registered for our Annual Cross-Border Conference in partnership with Dundalk Chamber, which will focus on future opportunities in the Cross-Border Economy.
Case studies will demonstrate how businesses, both North and South have overcome significant challenges, using the supports available to navigate the changes in trade flows and identify opportunities for growth.
Other confirmed speakers include representatives from DKIT, Enterprise Ireland, AIB, Trinity College Dublin, DELI-LITES Ireland and Kaseya.
BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE HERE
REGISTER INTEREST: NEWRY, MOURNE AND DOWN JOB FAIR
DATE: Thursday 9th March 2023
TIME: 10am – 2pm
VENUE: Down Leisure Centre, Downpatrick
COST: FREE
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is inviting employers with actual or upcoming job vacancies to apply for a exhibition stand at this upcoming job fair.
The job fair will have information stands about training available to help people secure jobs as well as to support businesses with their recruitment, employment and training needs.
The deadline for employer registrations is:
Thursday 16th February 2023
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST: business@nmandd.org