Member Article

New Chamber for Sefton - with help from Liverpool

A new Sefton Chamber of Commerce has been set up, following th winding up of its predecessor – and days after an alternative group was launched.

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce has stepped in to help form a new chamber for Sefton, despite the creation of Plan B, an independent organisation which also aims to represent businesses across the borough.

The Sefton Chamber encountered cash flow problems which resulted in a meeting of members to wind it up and appoint Manchester insolvency practitioner Kay Johnson Gee as liquidators.

Now a new body, sponsored by Liverpool Chamber, has emerged.

Liverpool Chamber chief operating officer Jenny Stewart said the re-launched Sefton Chamber will operate in its own right, with a programme of activity to drive forward local enterprise and business.

She said that a new board and a new membership council will be appointed, with two full-time staff based in Southport.

Members of the original Sefton Chamber will be transferred into the new legal entity and lapsed members will be contacted to encourage renewing their membership.

Jenny Stewart said: “This approach brings together the combined strengths of two closely connected business communities – those in Liverpool and in Sefton – and enables us to deliver a programme of activity which will benefit companies from across the city region.

“Businesses in Southport and the wider Sefton area will be able to take advantage of a much wider range of member benefits and to plug-in to trading opportunities across the entire city region.

“Crucially, this move will mean Sefton becomes a fully accredited member of the British Chambers of Commerce. It also means that the financial problems which have dogged it in the past are over.”

Former Sefton Chamber chief executive Steve Dickson, who will not be involved in the new set-up, said: “The lobbying and business representation aspect of Chambers of Commerce can never be underestimated.”

He said the downturn in the economy had seen many casualties among businesses, which had hit membership numbers: “In March this year the board all agreed that the strategy for Sefton Chamber to grow again would be through twinning with a neighbouring chamber.

“Liverpool Chamber has a staff team, along with resources and skills which Sefton could never employ independently.”

Last month, more than 100 Sefton businesses backed the launch of Plan B, an independent organisation created by local firms, and headed by Jonathan Cunningham, managing director of Southport-based Storm Consultancy.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .