Organisations across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire are being urged not to miss out on a free event to put their ‘red tape’ questions to the regulators.
Free to attend, the session this Wednesday (October 9), at Derby Conference Centre, will allow local businesses to informally engage with a wide variety of regulators responsible for areas such as employment, health and safety, licensing, trading standards, fire safety and taxation.
D2N2 LEP Chief Executive David Ralph said: “This is an issue that is constantly raised because red tape is a cost to business. Therefore, we are keen to support this initiative which aims to make it easier for businesses, particularly SMEs, to comply with regulations.
“This is a perfect chance for SMEs to bottom out some of the problems they encounter by talking to the regulators themselves to get the answers they are seeking.
“The greater input we get the better and we would encourage all parties to book their place at this free event as soon as possible so they can hold an informal discussion and it will certainly be beneficial to all parties when it comes to addressing the issue of red tape.”
Kate Nowicki, East Midlands Manager of ACAS, the independent and impartial Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, has agreed to provide an overview of the key role her organisation plays; and a workshop format will help focus the discussion on practical issues that affect delegates, effectively benchmarking the effect of the Government’s ‘one in, two out’ pledge.
In surveys, businesses report that cost, volume and complexity of regulation inhibits firms from recruiting, expanding and investing.
The aim of the event is to empower all parties by bringing them together to better understand one another and to develop a series of proposals that seek to help businesses.
Entitled Better Business for All, this initiative is led by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and the Better Regulation Delivery Office and is aimed at SMEs and business clubs.
The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce has been working closely with D2N2 LEP on the issue surrounding red tape, engaging local firms in the campaign to cut paperwork which wastes time, is excessively complex and has financial implications.
George Cowcher, Chief Executive of the DNCC, the second largest Chamber in the country, said: “Over the past decade or so there has been a surfeit of red tape imposed on businesses of all sizes.
“While bigger companies can absorb the cost, financial and in terms of time, needed to meet the demands of the bureaucracy, smaller companies are being penalised by having to comply with the same rules and regulations despite having smaller budgets and fewer staff.
“It has been recognised at last that something has to be done to level the playing field and the Chamber is happy to be doing what it can to achieve that goal.”
To ensure you don’t miss out, book a place for free at www.d2n2lep.org/BBfA or www.dncc.co.uk/events.
Parking is available on-site; and further information is available from Nick Chischniak, DNCC Representation Manager, on 01246 212533 or nick.chischniak@dncc.co.uk
