Mike Forrester: Chair’s Report

2023 presents a challenging start, and the business environment remains a constant battle. While some supply chains are returning to more typical timescales, increased cost and skills shortages remain. The Chamber can signpost Members to a number of support services, so please contact your Account Manager to discuss what might be available for your business.

The Chamber are delighted by the news that almost £40 million of funding will be shared between Herefordshire and Worcestershire as part of the government’s £2bn Levelling Up Fund.

The Hereford City Transport Package and Malvern Theatres Bid are among 100 projects across the country to receive special funding.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “…we are backing more than 100 projects with new transformational funding to level up local communities across the United Kingdom. By reaching even more parts of the country than before, we will build a future of optimism and pride in people’s lives and the places they call home.”

We look forward to supporting the businesses involved throughout 2023 and beyond - and the outcome of the projects being funded.

As we get into 2023, the events programme is back in full swing with numerous events being organised. There is something for everyone and I look forward to catching up with our Members and meeting new businesses at these events. So, please take a look at the events calendar at: www.hwchamber. co.uk/events-and-training-calendar

The popular Chamber Business Expo returns on 9 March 2023 at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern. This event is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness of your brand, generate new sales leads and expand existing business relationships. I personally enjoy this event and would recommend attending along with the 800 guests expected on the day.

The BIG event of the year, of course, is the Chamber Business Awards which are back for 2023, sponsored this year by Herefordshire Council. A full list of categories can be seen at: www.hwchamber.co.uk/events/ business-awards

As a past winner, I can confirm the benefits that come alongside entering an Award are invaluable, including a great boost to staff morale, a PR opportunity, a powerful tool to raise your profile and a way to stand out against your competitors. It will be a sell-out event once again with over 700 attendees - which leads to your opportunity to enter for one of the 16 categories. Applications and submissions can be made here: www. hwchamber.awardsplatform.com. If anyone would like to discuss the process, please contact me via the Chamber.

Following a recent Business Leaders dinner with Geoff White (author, speaker, investigative journalist, and podcast creator covering cyber and organised crime) everyone attending was probably shocked at the scale of cyber-crime and the ease at which supposedly secure networks can be hacked. I followed this up by attending the Midlands Centre for Cyber Security. Based on Skylon Park, Hereford’s Enterprise Zone, the centre is positioned to become a key player in the Cyber Valley that spans across Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire and is home to 15% of the UK’s top 600 cyber companies. Backed by the expert academic team from the University of Wolverhampton’s Cyber Research Institute, the centre supports businesses, develops their skillsets, and leads in cyber security testing, research and development. The centre team offer advice as to how you and your staff can be more aware of hacking risks, ways to reduce the risk and mitigations during and following an attack. With the news that the value of cyber-crime exceeds that of traditional crime, taking steps to protect your business is essential.

I wish you all well and hope to see you soon, Mike.

In conversation with Mark Smith

Q: How did you start doing what you’re doing?

A: I applied for a life-long job with the Black Horse (Lloyds Bank, not the local hostelry!) in sleepy Suffolk and have been riding the old nag for 40 years since!

Q: What does a typical day look like?

A: The good – Client, prospect and professional partner meetings - in person, MS Teams or occasionally a simple call – to ensure I stay close to their strategic plans and operational requirements.

The bad – Starting a little earlier and ending a little later than ideal for your well-being; skipping a healthy lunch and eating far too much junk food because you’re committed to what you do (not at all good for a type 1 diabetic with a long-term chronic lung condition!)

The ugly - The inevitable internal challenges that go alongside working within any blue chip!

Q: What are your notable highlights to date?

A: Personal – Marrying my lovely wife; five marvellous children who have six of their own growing children between them: two equally marvellous stepchildren. All unique, as we all are.

Physical – Two London Marathons (1994 & 1997) but slowing down now and well on the way to fell-walking the 214 Lakeland Wainwrights, mainly trailing behind my gazelle-like wife - 25 to do.

Commercial – 40 successful years with Lloyds Bank across a wide range of roles - relationship, risk and operational, across Corporate, SME and Retail banking teams.

Community – Leading local fund-raising opportunities which have contributed over £75,000 to Herefordshire & Worcestershire hospices and foodbanks in the past 6 years.

Q: What’s the key to your success?

A: Being yourself; stop worrying about climbing the corporate ladder; put others first; know your imperfections; get organised.

Q: Where can you mostly be found after work?

A: If you mean 9-5, still AT work in my home office, until Mrs S returns from her daily toil…then watching The Chase.

Q: Best piece of advice you’ve received?

A: Be kind…not always easy, but always the right thing to do even if we all fall off that horse from time to time.

Mark Smith is the President of Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce and Commercial Banking Relationship Director at Lloyds Banking Group.

Head to www.youdobetter.co.uk to discover how pay-as-you-go PR can work for you and your business.

Is Mediation and other alternatives to the traditional Court process the way forward in Family cases?

‘Yes’ is the resounding answer from two senior family law solicitors at Thursfields Solicitors. Laura Williams and Hannah Nicholls are also trained mediators and are witnessing firsthand the benefits to client’s that resolving their family disputes outside of the Court arena can bring.

The use of mediation and other dispute resolution processes has been widely encouraged by senior family judges and other professionals who work with children and families for some time, however it has only more recently started to gather more publicity and popularity with lawyers and their clients.

Why is this? The overwhelming pressure on the Court’s is certainly a factor, which is resulting in court proceedings taking significantly longer to conclude. It is not unusual for cases involving disputes over child arrangements to take over 12- 18 months to resolve (and even longer in some cases), and for cases involving the dividing of family assets significantly longer. Not only does this place an enormous emotional strain on children involved, and the family, but it also means legal costs are increasing significantly.

But it is not only the delays and attributable costs of the court system which are resulting in the increasing participation in mediation and other processes. The Court process, for dealing with all types of family dispute, is unpredictable and complex. There is no guarantee that a Judge or bench of Magistrates will make a decision that you feel is right for you or your family. They do not know you or your children and only have a snapshot of insight into the family dynamic. Although your lawyers can advise you on the considerations that the Court must have when making informed decisions, they cannot tell you with any degree of certainty exactly what order a Court will make. This is because the Court has a wide discretion when making Orders in family cases, and what one Judge may feel is fair and appropriate in the circumstances, may be notably different to that of another.

The Court process is also combative in nature. It heightens tensions and conflict rather than appeasing it. This can lead to long term and irreparable damage being caused to family relationships, individual family members mental health, and the ability of that family to be able to parent their children in a way that they want to and what will be of most benefit to their children in the long term.

Mediation offers an alternative where couples and family members can attempt to address and resolve their issues in a neutral, safe, and impartial environment. A trained mediator will assist by facilitating discussions in an attempt to resolve issues which are in dispute. The aim is for families to find an informed way forward which they decide for themselves and having control over decisions which can work practically, financially, and emotionally for them in the long term. The process allows for parties to continue to take legal advice in the background should they wish to so that they can be assured they are making informed decisions.

Other processes such as Arbitration, early neutral evaluation, collaborative law, and solicitor round table meetings should also be explored with clients early on in the family breakdown, as they are also processes designed to limit conflict and assist in reaching resolution at an early stage.

Court proceedings will of course still be necessary in certain circumstances, but it is important that full consideration is given, both at the outset and during the process, as to whether an alternative can and should be implemented in order to provide the best possible outcome in the long term.

For advice contact Hannah Nicholls and Laura Williams on 0345 20 73 72 8 or info@thursfields.co.uk

The global microchip shortage has created a ripple effect across numerous industries, including the business sector.

Some suggest that the shortage has been brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, while others believe that this situation has been in play for many years, not just as a result of the pandemic.

Koray Kose, an analyst at research firm Gartner, argues that the shortage was due, in a large part, to the swift rise of 5G which drove up demand, as well as the US’ choice to stop selling semiconductors and other forms of technology to Chinese tech giant, Huawei. This decision led to multiple chip makers from outside of the US putting in orders from the Chinese firm. Kose also points out that another manufacturing issue which has contributed to the shortage is that there are two different ways of producing chips, one of which is more expensive and is only used for more advanced devices. This has led to many lower cost chips being required to be used across even more consumer products, necessitating this technology to be sourced owing to unprecedented demand.

The surge in demand for consumer electronics has created difficulties for businesses to keep up with the high demand for laptops, smartphones, and other technology products. Additionally, the shortage has affected the production of data centre equipment, including servers and storage devices, which are crucial for businesses to store data and provide cloud services.

Various industries such as the automotive industry, consumer electronics industry and communications sector have been greatly impacted by the shortage. It has, for example, caused significant delays in car production, leaving automotive businesses struggling to keep up with client demand, reduced availability and higher prices, which has resulted in lower profits for some automotive manufacturers.

It has also particularly impacted businesses who had to change their work approach from an office environment to a remote working environment during the pandemic, which required their employees to have laptops, tablets and other technology in order to do their day-to-day jobs. To exacerbate the problem, chip factories also shut down during the lockdowns.

The shortage has caused supply chain disruptions and led to higher prices for these essential devices, putting a strain on businesses budgets. This can cause difficulties for companies looking to upgrade their technology, making it increasingly hard for them to stay competitive in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Using a Managed Service Provider can help organisations mitigate these issues. MSP businesses are now seeking alternative sourcing options and reviewing their supply chains to reduce their dependence on a single source of microchips. While the effects of the shortage may continue in the short term, MSPs are becoming more resilient and better prepared to handle future disruptions.

EBC Group can help your business overcome these challenges. With our extensive expertise and experience in managing IT services for businesses, we can help provide a solution to the microchip shortage by offering essential technology solutions to ensure your organisation success during this time. We can also provide businesses with essential data centre equipment, such as servers and storage devices, ensuring your clients have the technology they need to provide cloud services and store data securely. For more information, contact us online or call us on 0121 3680119.