Chamber merger spells good news for members

2:13pm Friday 3rd October 2008

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MERGER there may have been, but York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce will not be “swallowed up” by Leeds.

That is the assertive message to the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce’s 1,200 members as the organisation starts a fresh phase in its history with a new and lengthy name, the Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

It came as the York Chamber approved the marriage at an extraordinary general meeting at the National Centre for Early Music in York.

Of the entire membership of the York and North Yorkshire Chamber there was only one proxy vote objector.

But both the new body’s chief executive, Gary Williamson, and the York and North Yorkshire president, Shaun Watts, assured the meeting members would continue to be served at a local level.

Staff numbers will expand rather than contract at the Chamber’s York headquarters at the Innovation Centre in York Science Park, and while Len Cruddas, the chief executive for the past six years has now stood down, Susie Cawood, former commercial director, will be the head of York Chamber and the new focus for businesses in the sub region.

Both Mr Williamson and Mr Watts said that gone will be the old restrictive geographical and postal area borders and in their place will be the more realistic “areas of influence” that businesses readily recognized.

With Chamber meetings and events open to members on both sides, it meant that each would be opening up markets for the other, The new leadership said that they were determined that all the advantages of the local thinking would survive while bolting on all the positives of a larger organization.

The broader Leeds/York axis which will encompass nearly 3,000 members and affiliates, will have a turnover of £2.8 million, speak for more than 500,000 employees and have enough clout to really influence the region’s economy.

York members, in most cases, could also expect a drop in fees while being able to tap into more than 450 events organised in Leeds each year Mr Williamson, 48 ,who headed up the Leeds Chamber, is a former civil servant. He calls for greater co-operation rather than antagonism with local and regional government and has already paved the way with talks with John Marsden, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council.

He also met Bill McCarthy, chief executive of the City of York Council.

“Mr McCarthy is keen that the Chamber should be the largest responsible group of business people in the city,” said Mr Williamson.

A new marketing strategy for the combined chambers is now being forged – “and we hope to shorten the name,” he said.