Rugby MP offers dose of optimism at Chamber meeting

Rugby’s new MP believes the political stars have aligned to help drive business growth in the borough.

John Slinger MP attended the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s Rugby Local Business Forum for the first time since he was elected in the General Election in July.

He met businesspeople from a range of sectors at Draycote Hotel and said that his background means he is pro-business and pro-growth.

“I’ve worked in the private sector so I understand what businesses want and need and my door is open to hear what issues are affecting companies across the borough, so it was great to attend the Chamber’s Local Business Forum,” he said.

“We know that there have been challenges in recent years and that there are challenges ahead but the Government wants to put policies in place that help to deliver growth.” together before, sold it, and in 1989 saw the opportunity to start something new. Back then, most of our work came from IT providers upgrading hardware for businesses, and we handled the cabling.

He said the borough could benefit from having a Labour MP, which is part of a Labour Government, with a Labour leader of Rugby Borough Council in Michael Moran –both of whom share a passion for business.

Mr Slinger said: “It’s not a party political point, but I think it helps that we’re completely aligned from that point of view. It will be good for the regional economy.

“We’ve evolved significantly as technology has advanced. Today, as well as offering door access systems, security cameras, VoIP telephony solutions, and comprehensive conference room solutions for virtual meetings, we still provide reliable cabling solutions. We’ve also worked on satellite connectivity through Elon Musk’s Starlink network, offering a dependable alternative to traditional cable-based connections.

"Our clients span various sectors, including education and healthcare. Joining the Chamber has been instrumental in building our reputation within the local community. It’s not about immediate results, but about developing long-term relationships so that when people need our services, they think of us.

“We remain enthusiastic about growth and are looking for more engineers to meet the rising demand. We’re fortunate to have a dedicated team, many of whom have been with us for over a decade. Now, we’re seeking skilled professionals to help us take the next steps in our expansion.”

“I believe there is going to be more devolved powers to the regions and districts and between myself, Michael and other partners, we can make sure we get the best deal for Rugby.

“We want to see an improving town centre and we want to do all we can to get the local economy moving forward.

“That also means delivering policies at a national level that help to drive growth and that is a major part of the Government’s focus.”

Jon Hinde, economic lead at Rugby Borough Council, told the meeting his team is producing and economic strategy for the borough that will go live next April.

The forum also heard from Ursula Dowd, from Love to Ride – a scheme supported by Warwickshire County Council to get more people cycling to work – who encouraged firms to sign up for Cycle September, and from Karen Simmons, of Optimal Health UK , who gave a personal story as to why she is supporting businesses to look after the health of their staff.

Karen Shuter, the chair of the Forum, said: “The turnout for the meeting was excellent and it was great to be joined by John Slinger MP.

“The Chamber is the voice of business in the area and it is only by hearing the views of a range of companies and organisations that we are able to speak up on the issues that matter to decision makers at a local, regional, national and international level.”