Small business confidence suffers 2 year losing streak amid calls for further Government action

IN a public statement Michael Sandys, from FSB Area Leader for Liverpool City Region has said:- "Quarterly Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Small Business Index (SBI) posts a record 9th consecutive negative reading. This comes as revenue growth hits all time low and lay offs hit all time high, UK's largest business group says now is time for further evolution of Government support measures; More than half of small exporters say international sales have fallen over last 3 months ahead of UK/EU trade talk crunch point this weekend."

Now the FSB is making the case for a fresh round of business support measures, as its new survey of 1,500 small firms shows business confidence has been in negative territory since July 2018. The recommendations come amid signs that the UK's economic recovery is stalling, and ahead of an incredibly difficult trading period in the run up to Christmas and the end of the EU transition period.

The UK's largest business group welcomed the Chancellor's enhancement of existing schemes last week and is now calling for fresh interventions to help those that have received no income support to date, reduce the costs of hiring, further alleviate the business rates burden and provide more resources for those looking to start up for the 1st time.

The Q3 UK SBI confidence figure stands at -32.6, down 28 points on last quarter. Only 34% of those surveyed at the end of last month expect their performance to improve over the coming 3 months. The significant majority (66%) expect performance to worsen.

A record 1 in 4 (25%) small firms say they have reduced headcounts last quarter. An even higher proportion (29%) expect to make redundancies over the coming 3 months, with 12% expect to let at least a quarter of their staff go.

Covidlinked disruption has caused revenue growth to fall to its lowest recorded ebb, with more than half (56%) of those surveyed reporting a drop. A similar share (50%) expect revenues to fall next quarter.

FSB Merseyside and Cheshire Area Leader (Liverpool City Region), Michael Sandys said:- "Short memories are common in a crisis but we must not forget that small firms were already under the cosh thanks to political uncertainty, rising costs and creaking infrastructure well before the Spring. The Chancellor made some very welcome adjustments to support measures last week, and it's critical that the new Job Support Scheme is straightforward to use, the self employed can access the help they require, and local authority cash grants reach as many of those in need as possible, as swiftly as possible. However, too many are still without the help they need to weather current disruption, not least company directors, the newly self employed, those without premises and those further down supply chains in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors. An ambitious rescue package for these groups is urgently needed. Local authorities should use the new discretionary funds being allocated this week to assist them wherever possible. With the unemployment rate rising, we'll need to encourage more of those who are out of work to strike out on their own over the months ahead. A Kickstart Start Up programme, inspired by the Kickstart employment initiative and building on the success of the Start Up Loans and the New Enterprise Allowance programmes, could mark a way forward. Equally if we want small business owners to create jobs, we have to bring down the costs of employment, starting with Employer National Insurance Contributions. If we want them to invest, innovate and expand, we have to alleviate the strain of wider Government imposed overheads, including those stemming from an outdated business rates system which continues to stifle too many community businesses all over the country. Now that support measures are continuing through to the Spring, we should also avoid a scenario where businesses suddenly go from from paying 0% to 100% of their business rates bills in April. And help should be expanded to firms in industries that have not benefited as much as those in retail, leisure and hospitality."

With this weekend held as the final deadline for a breakthrough in UK-EU trade talks, more than half (53%) of exporters surveyed for the Q3 SBI report that international sales are falling. The figure is up 21 percentage points on Q3 2019. Four in ten (43%) expect a drop in exports over the coming three months.

Michael Sandys added:- "More than 4 years on from the EU referendum, small firms need clarity around what the end of the transition period will mean now more than ever. Negotiators on both sides must pull out all the stops to secure a deal, 1 that includes a substantial small business chapter outlining how the new agreement will help the firms that make up 99% of the UK business community. As things stand, small firms are being told to shell out for both safety measures and preparations for our new relationship with the EU. Many would like to do more but have run out of cash after a torrid 6 months. If the Government wants small business owners to step up preparations, it needs to make doing so financially viable. The introduction of transition vouchers; grants worth up to ₤3,000 for small firms that trade internationally to spend on preparations for 1 January 2021 would go a long way to aiding efforts. In addition, now the Autumn Budget has been cancelled, the Treasury should use this opportunity to rethink proposals to abolish tax free shopping for international visitors. If implemented, they would make the UK the only country in the EU and OECD to spurn high spending visitors, reducing revenues for businesses and the exchequer. Instead, policymakers should install a new online system for processing these tax free purchases in order to provide working capital and shore up balance sheets at a critical juncture for the economy."

Lib Dems call for Manchester's 'Freedom of the City' honour for Marcus Rashford

THE Liberal Democrats are calling for Marcus Rashford to be honoured with Manchester's Freedom of the City award for his child poverty campaign. Manchester's Liberal Democrat Leader John Leech made the call in the constitutional and nomination committee today (27/10/20), claiming Rashford had:- "Done more to highlight child poverty in the last 6 months than any politician has managed in the last 25 years."

The former MP also urged the committee to ensure that future recipients of the honour were as diverse as Manchester itself. The award recognises an individual's outstanding and exceptional contributions to Manchester. The last recipient of the honour was Sir Konstantin Sergeevich Novoselov, for his work on graphene in Manchester, back in 2013.

The 207 Field Hospital, made up of voluntary doctors and medics who provided medical support to UK forces on operations in Afghanistan and the Great Britain Olympic and Paralympic Cycling Team, based at Manchester's Velodrome, who picked up fourteen Olympic and twenty Paralympic medals during the Beijing games, were also awarded in 2011 and 2008 respectively.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, John Leech, said:- "Despite being a Manchester City fan, I think it's fair to say that Marcus Rashford has probably done more to highlight and raise the issue of child poverty in the last 6 months than any politician has managed in the last 25 years. Rashford's campaign has had a significant impact here in Manchester, where we represent some of the most deprived families in the country, and across the whole of the UK. "Rather than sitting back and accepting these injustices, he has used his high profile to kick this Government into action and that should be recognised. He didn't have to, but he did and our communities are better off for it. There's no doubt in my mind that he is a worthy recipient."

Should MP's take a pay cut?

ON our Twitter account we asked:- "Should Boris Johnson and all the MPs take a pay cut, like the MPs in New Zealand did and not take the pay rise?" With just 1 comment asking:- "Why" the results are as follows:- Saying:- "Yes" = 87.9%, "No" = 9.1%. "Don't care" = 3% and "Don't know..." = 0%

Imperial Collage London finds Covid19 antibody levels fall rapidly after recovery

A very worrying discovery by Imperial College London who have found that levels of Covid19 Antibodies falls "quite rapidly" in those who have recovered from infection. This finding suggests people could catch the virus multiple times and that long term immunity after infection is not guaranteed. How it will affect vaccine development is currently unknown, but as the fight to find a vaccine we are told is now very near to fusion. As so much hope had been put on creating a vaccine, its not what you want to hear, but the probability of success is always difficult to predict. "The 1st vaccines may only be partially effective, and may not protect everyone. Flu vaccines are only 50% effective." said a UK research company just before The chair of the Vaccine Taskforce, Kate Bingham. Plus, many leading medical workers are saying that there is a 'slim chance' a vaccine might arrive by Christmas, but more it is more realistic to be looking now at July 2021, on the optimistic side.

"Huge response confirms need for Council's to offer free School Meals Scheme" says Sefton's Communities Boss

ON the 2nd day of the scheme, Sefton Council is already dealing with thousands of applications for its October ½ Term free School Meals vouchers. Sefton Council announced it would be running the scheme following Government's decision not to provide free School Meals during the current holiday. It has teamed up with ASDA to provide vouchers that families who qualify for free School Meals can use to buy food.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said:- "The response to our scheme has been huge and shows exactly why Sefton Council needed to step in swiftly and set up this scheme in partnership with ASDA. We have had thousands of applications already and are now working hard to process them as quickly as possible."

Cllr Hardy has thanked Sefton's local businesses and voluntary organisations who are providing packed lunches, food hampers and meals to local families. She said:- "They are proving that together we are a Stronger community."  Details of the ½ Term School Meals scheme can be found at:- Sefton.Gov.UK/Half-Term-Meals.

Families who qualify for free School Meals but don't have Internet access can get printed vouchers from the Borough's Family Wellbeing Centres. And those families who do not currently receive free School Meals can visit:- Sefton.Gov.UK to find out if they are eligible and how to apply. Cllr Hardy added:- "Free School Meals have been shown to improve health and help tackle health inequalities, as well as removing the poverty trap faced by parents trying to move into employment. That is why, with so many families being affected by Coronavirus and the Government's Tier 3 COVID restrictions, it was vital for the Council to set up this local scheme."

The full list of Sefton's Wellbeing Centres is:-

North Sefton

Linaker Family Wellbeing Centre
Linaker Street
Southport
PR8 5DQ
Tel: 0151 2886765

Farnborough Road
Birkdale
PR8 3DF
01704 572579

Talbot Street Family Wellbeing Centre
St Andrews Place
Southport
PR8 1HR
01704 534975

Formby Library and Family Wellbeing Centre
Duke Street
Formby
L37 4AN
0151 934 2063

Central Sefton

Netherton Family Wellbeing Centre
Magdalen Square
Netherton
Bootle
L30 5QH
0151 282 1405

Hudson Family Wellbeing Centre
Moorhey Road
Maghull
L31 5LE
0151 531 0117

Thornton Family Wellbeing Centre
Stannyfield Drive
Thornton
L23 1TY
0151 934 4991

Menai Family Wellbeing Centre
Menai Road
Bootle
L20 6PG
0151 288 6055

Litherland Family Wellbeing Centre
Boundary Road
Litherland
L21 7LA
0151 288 6661

South Sefton

Cambridge Family Wellbeing Centre
Cambridge Road
Bootle
L20 9LQ
0151 282 5436

Seaforth Family Wellbeing Centre
39 Caradoc Road
Seaforth
L21 4NB
0151 286 7807

Marie Clarke Family Wellbeing Centre
Linacre Lane
Bootle
L20 5AQ
0151 330 5260

Waterloo Family Wellbeing Centre
Waterloo Primary School
Crosby Road North
Waterloo
L22 0LD
0151 928 6539

Total UK cases COVID19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region