Now known as Influence, the organisation will act as Swindon’s collective business voice, ensuring that the business community’s concerns, issues and aspirations are heard by local and regional decision-makers and that pressure is brought to bear when appropriate. 

Established in 2006, the SSEP was originally charged with delivering the economic development and enterprise block of the Local Area Agreement. 

But the remit of strategic economic partnerships nationally has altered following the introduction by Government of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), and the partnership’s management board will now adopt the role of representing the collective business voice of Swindon.

Influence will be made up of a cross section of volunteers from the diverse business spectrum in Swindon, from major employers to smaller independent companies with specialist skills, as well as representatives of key business representative associations such as the Chamber of Commerce, GWE Initiative and Federation of Small Businesses. It will also include one representative each from Swindon Borough Council and Forward Swindon.

Influence is also keen to encourage other business representative associations to be represented on its board, particularly business special interest groups/sectors, and expects to attract engagement by more of the town’s large employers.

Its chair, Nicky Alberry, who has just been appointed a board member of the Swindon & Wiltshire (LEP), says that Influence will be an organisation that is true to its name. 

“This is very much not a networking group or a talking shop,” she said.

“It is a group with wider perspective, which will shape and influence for the good of business and the wider economy in Swindon.

“The entire community in Swindon is dependent on economic stability and growth, and it is crucial that those charged with making decisions on major issues such as, for example,  transport or education and skills, understand how those decisions are likely to affect trade, commerce and employment here.

“Some of the decisions will affect the direction of the town for generations to come, so it is important that the voice of business is heard early on, and equally important that the business community works intelligently and productively with those charged with shaping the look and feel of the Swindon of the future.” 

The show, organised by GWE Business West, will feature a broad showcase of more than 80 exhibitors from across the region and is expected to attract more than 800 visitors.

Swindon Business News is the media partner for the show. Come and meet us on Stand 72. Swindon Business News TV (SBNTV) will also be filming throughout the Show.

The Swindon Strategic Economic Partnership (SSEP) annual conference runs alongside the show this morning.

After a busy year, SSEP will provide an update on current activity, including links with the newly formed Local Enterprise Partnership.

The exclusive Espresso bar for members of The Initiative in Swindon & Wiltshire and Business West’s LinkedIn group returns this year. The Business West LinkedIn group has doubled in size to more than 3,300 members providing more opportunity to make new business contacts. Group members are invited to meet at the Business Show and extend online connections offline. Come along between 11am and 12noon or 1.30pm and 2.30pm and enjoy a complimentary coffee on the mezzanine floor.

Guest speaker at the show is James Averdieck, founder of luxurious desert company GU, who will share his secrets for success on how he started GU in 2003 with just £150,000 taking the company to sales of over £30m before selling in 2010.

Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) chief executive Kevin Green described Outsource UK as an example of how recruiters could ride through rough times by maintaining high standards of service to their clients and candidates.

During a visit to the IT recruitment specialist’s head office, Mr Green said: “Our most recent figures show that the recruitment industry is worth £25bn to the UK economy.

“Within that, IT recruitment is faring well and there are even skills shortages in some areas of IT. That, and the excellent service provided by IT recruiters such as Outsource UK, means this area is doing better than many others.”

Outsource UK founder and managing director Paul Jameson agreed. “We had our best quarter ever at the end of last year, a lot of that created by ongoing momentum,” he said “IT is doing better than many other areas of the economy and it is as challenging as ever to fill roles where there are skills shortages.”

Mr Green predicted a difficult year ahead for the general economy. “I think unemployment will peak towards the end of 2012 at about 2.75 million and this will be driven largely by public sector workers losing their jobs,” he said.

“Our latest figures show 111,000 public sector workers were made redundant in the first quarter of 2011, but having said that 42,000 new jobs were created by the private sector.”

Outsource UK achieved audited status with the REC last year making it, at the time, one of only 54 recruitment companies (and four IT recruiters) to do so. To become audited, Outsource UK had all its processes and practices scrutinised by the REC’s auditor to ensure it was fully compliant with the requirements of the Employment Agencies Act, the Employment Business Act, the REC’s Code of Professional Conduct and general business practice.

For the second consecutive year, the company has also made it into Recruiter magazine’s Fast 50 list of top-performing recruiters. 

Generate UK managing director Joe Baily said: “This acquisition will be a valuable addition to our core business services and we expect it to provide a very helpful addition to our existing business customers.” Generate UK’s clients include South Gloucestershire NHS, environmental firm Helistrat  and Donnington Grove Country Club.

Rupert Wright, a corporate lawyer with Charles Lucas & Marshall, advised Web on High.

Its distributive trades survey for January showed the balance for reported sales volumes plunged to -22 – a sharp turnaround on December’s +9.  The downturn was the lowest since March 2009 when the country was in recession. Analysts had forecast a fall to -6.

The survey results came a day after official figures showed the economy contracted by 0.2% in the final three months of last year and highlighted the grim state of the high street. A number of retailers have gone bust since Christmas.

CBI chief economic advisor Ian McCafferty said: “Shoppers have reined in spending across the board at the start of the new year, after taking advantage of early discounting last month, which boosted pre-Christmas sales.

“Consumers are still holding off, particularly from buying big-ticket items, like washing machines and fridges.”

The airport saw off competition from London City, Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester to land the top award, which was presented in front of 1,200 travel industry guests at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

An independent panel of judges, including travel managers from major organisations such as EADS, Alcatel-Lucent, Tesco, HSBC and E.ON, commented on the airport’s proactive approach to corporate customers. 

A dedicated sales team works with businesses and agents across the South West to understand their travel needs and further develop the airport’s offer for business passengers.

Other initiatives include a dedicated newsletter for business travellers, the introduction of free wi-fi internet access in the terminal and plans for a ‘business-friendly’ boarding gate for use by airlines serving key business routes.

It was also a successful night for Air France KLM, which operates three daily flights to Paris and four to Amsterdam from Bristol Airport. The full-service carrier won the Best Airline Worldwide category.

Bristol Airport chief executive officer Robert Sinclair said: “This award is recognition for the relationships we have built with organisations across the South West and would not have been possible without their support. 

“We will continue to develop our product for business travellers, working with airlines to offer the routes and frequencies required by the region’s businesses.”

The airport handled 5.7m passengers last year, around 15% travelling on business.

Economic activity in the UK shrank by 0.2% in the last three months of 2011, according to figures released today by the ONS (Office of National Statistics).

The drop in activity comes after the marginal growth of 0.6% in the third quarter last year. The contraction raises serious concerns over the direction of the economy as public spending cuts start to bite and the continuing problems in the eurozone impact on the UK.

In total the UK economy grew by 0.9% in 2011, with the Bank of England predicting only 1% growth this year.

The Chancellor, George Osborne, said the figures were disappointing but not a surprise.

Lloyds TSB Commercial regional director Paul Spencer said: “Small businesses were reporting slower growth in the last quarter of 2011, so this contraction in GDP is not unexpected.

“However our most recent figures, from December’s Purchasing Manager’s Index, show that there was a slight upturn in business activity at the very end of last year. 

“Clearly economic conditions remain challenging, but there is strong evidence that some businesses are more worried about the economy than is justified by their own performance. The reality is that there are still opportunities open to small and medium-sized enterprises, not least those connected to London 2012 and through resilient export markets. If the economy is to recover, and if confidence is to be restored, these are opportunities that businesses must grasp quickly.”

Institute of Directors South West chairman Gerry Jones said: “The tightrope walk between recession and recovery continues. We’ve taken one step towards a double-dip recession, and it’s now probably 50-50 as to whether we’ll take the second, with a fall in output this quarter as well.

“It’s important to stress that the 0.2% fall in GDP is not large and could be reversed as QE2 (the Bank of England’s second round of quantitative easing – or injecting cash into the economy) works through. But even if output does increase in the first quarter, we’ll continue to experience the feel-bad jobless recovery for some time yet.”

He said the combination of falling output and today’s minutes from the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee, suggest QE2 could be further expanded next month.

“The tipping point for recession or recovery remains economic developments in the eurozone. If the euro crisis gets worse, sustaining UK recovery looks almost impossible,” he said.

The group, called Unique Venues of Bath, includes Bath Rugby, the Theatre Royal, Thermae Bath Spa, Bath Racecourse and Bath’s Historic Buildings – including venues such as the Assembly Rooms, Pump Room and Roman Baths.

Each venue provides a special and unique setting for hosting meetings and entertaining clients.

Katie Sandercock of Unique Venues of Bath said: “In these days of making every penny work hard, we are delighted to be combining forces and showcasing some of Bath’s most prestigious venues.

“The partnership reflects the diversity of Bath and its rich offering, including heritage, sport, spa and culture. Since first coming together, we have got to know each other’s venues much better and feel confident of being able to pass on leads and business enquiries at such an important business show."

The Business Show Swindon, which is staged by GWE Business West/The Initiative in Swindon, takes place at the town’s STEAM museum. Swindon Business News is media partner for the event.

As part of the closer cooperation, Unique Venues of Bath’s website – www.uniquevenuesofbath.co.uk – has been updated to take directs inquiries to the websites of each partner.

Neil’s extensive experience of delivering multi-million pound projects throughout the South West of England will now be harnessed in the drive to achieve 100 per cent success in ‘prompt and faultless delivery.’   

Managing director Mark Beard said: “In the current market conditions where high quality service is demanded throughout Wiltshire, we were extremely keen for Neil to join us to benefit from Neil’s availability and his expertise in customer service.”

From 2000 to 2011 Neil was central to the successful development of one of the South West of England’s most respected businesses. He says: “I relish the opportunity of joining the team and assisting Beard in achieving their goals and further cementing their position as the leading contractor of choice in their chosen sectors.