Confidence is growing amongst many Fife businesses, according to Fife Chamber President John Silcock.
He said Fife Council needs to continue with its work to promote Fife as a great place to do business through improved local procurement, the promotion of opportunities for the construction sector and reducing the regulatory burden on businesses as promised.
Mr Silcock said the positive outlook is reflected in Scotland’s economic performance over the last year with reduced levels of unemployment – particularly welcome is the drop in unemployment amongst young people, and significant year on year increase in total employment at 73% the figure is now above the UK average.
He said that with increasing business start-ups and increasing numbers of total businesses operating in Scotland, these positive trends are testament to the work of private businesses in the country particularly when set against the background of reduced public expenditure and lower employment.
“So there is plenty evidence that we have growing confidence in the Scottish and Fife business communities and we have hard evidence of that positive performance amongst local businesses,” he said.
“Investment projects by Fife businesses such as Heil Farid, Fife Fabrication, Carrs Flour Mill and several others provide good examples of that renewed confidence alongside continued investment by major Fife businesses such as FMC and Diageo, and work on two of the UK’s biggest engineering projects the new Queensferry Crossing and the construction of the two Aircraft Carriers by Babcock in Rosyth.
“The challenge we face as we move in to the New Year is to build on this impressive performance and these positive trends and that is no small challenge given current economic and political issues in Europe and beyond.
“As I have said, private businesses in Fife, Scotland and the UK are delivering outstanding performances in growing the economy. We need this focus to be replicated in government at all levels.
“In Fife we need the council to continue with its work to promote Fife as a great place to do business through improved local procurement, the promotion of opportunities for the construction sector and reducing the regulatory burden on businesses as promised.
“The council faces significant challenges in meeting its budget in the coming year but this should not deflect it from its work to support the development of local businesses which contribute to the local economy and wider community.”
Mr Silcock said the focus of the Scottish Government in 2014 was, understandably, on constitutional matters and there is clearly now a need to finalise the implementation of the Smith Commission recommendations with the UK Government as a matter of urgency.
He added: “It is essential that the views of the business community are taken into account in that process. For 2015, the focus of the Scottish Government must be on issues beyond the constitution and the economy must be a key part of that focus, particularly on issues relating to business rates and the promotion of business development opportunities at home and overseas.
“At the UK level, the General Election in May will obviously dominate political matters in the short term but as John Longworth, Director General of British Chambers of Commerce said in his open letter to political leaders, parties need to put “ the UK’s long- term success over tawdry tactics and point-scoring”. It remains to be seen whether this can be achieved, but other issues he raises in his letter on devolution, business taxation, business-education links and exporting must feature strongly in government policy and action in 2015, if the economic recovery is to be continued in the year ahead and beyond.
malexander@thecourier.co.uk