Dr Ellie Chowns, MP for North Herefordshire recently attended the Chamber’s Herefordshire Area Council meeting held at NMITE’s facility on Skylon Park, Rotherwas. Ellie Chowns began by outlining current priorities within the constituency, the impact of international events on both local and national challenges and projects. The Area Council is made up of representatives from 13 different business sectors. Each were able to update Ellie Chowns and the rest of the group on the challenges their sectors face and measures they were taking to make the most of any opportunities. Common themes were inflationary pressures on the supply chain, wage costs and energy bills.
What made the discussion particularly valuable was the opportunity for direct dialogue. Ellie Chowns actively listened, acknowledged different perspectives, and provided practical advice on how businesses could engage with local decision-making processes but also through parliamentary letters at national level too. Overall, the session strengthened our understanding of local governance and empowered us to take a more active role in community issues.
This session was one of a series of interactions Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber have with MP’s across the two counties and we actively encourage members to reach out to us with challenges for us to engage with the MP’s offices