'Don't forget us Prime Minister' - Black Country business leader's message to Andy Burnham

​Today Black Country Chamber of Commerce boss Sarah Moorhouse writes an exclusive open letter, calling on Mr Burnham to pay a visit.

She and West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker have welcomed extra devolved powers for the region, including the chance to raise taxes locally.

But Ms Moorhouse said she also wants Mr Burnham to be more than just a Prime Minister for the north – telling him he must not ignore the power of the West Midlands to ignite the British economy.

In her open letter written for the Express & Star she says: “Whilst we would have loved there to have been a No.10 in the Black Country, his focus that people, communities and economies matter just as much as anything happening in the capital city is especially welcome.

“This is something we have understood for many years. Further moves towards decentralisation from Westminster have the potential to unlock growth, empower local leadership and foster strong collaboration between public and private sector supply chains.

"Our message to the PM is clear. Come and see us on your summer tour of the UK. Use us as a test bed for accelerated change.

“The Black Country is open for business and when we succeed as a region, the country succeeds overall."

Open letter from Sarah Moorhouse, Chief Executive Officer of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce

The first few days of Andy Burnham’s premiership have shown him to be a man in a hurry to get things done.

​He has made a series of spending announcements mostly aimed at tackling the cost of living. These include the cap on bus fares in England (not London) from £3 to £2 from January next year, cutting VAT from domestic electricity bills and cutting business rates for pubs, clubs and music venues by 20 per cent from April next year.

But perhaps the most eye catching move was his commitment to the regions and the launch of No.10 North, signalling the importance of life outside London.

Whilst we would have loved there to have been a No.10 in the Black Country, his focus that people, communities and economies matter just as much as anything happening in the capital city is especially welcome. This is something we have understood for many years. Further moves towards decentralisation from Westminster have the potential to unlock growth, empower local leadership and foster strong collaboration between public and private sector supply chains.

Devolving decision-making powers to the regions is something businesses have been coveting for quite some time and if we are to achieve the PM’s ambition of growth in every postcode, then our business voices must be heard loud and clear.

As a Chamber we have built an excellent relationship with Richard Parker, the Mayor of the West Midlands, our regional MPs and our four local authorities who all engage regularly with our business members . We recognise that collectively we have real strength and our Black Country resilience and adaptability means we are incredibly well placed to drive economic growth, creating jobs and opportunities for local people.

However in recent years businesses have become frustrated. Rising energy prices, the costs of doing business, increased taxation and international trading challenges post-Brexit have made for very difficult conditions and there is much for the Prime Minister and his returning Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, to consider.

Our businesses want to see change but more than that, they want to see a pace of change. So whilst we are encouraged by Andy Burnham’s sense of urgency and that he has recognised some crucial issues very early on, including skills gaps and youth training, we want his hope for the nation to be keenly focused on business and we stand ready to play our part.

Our message to the PM is clear. Come and see us on your summer tour of the UK. Use us as a test bed for accelerated change. The Black Country is open for business and when we succeed as a region, the country succeeds overall.