Working all year around for Stratton Conservatives

09/12/11 - Justin Tomlinson MP Attends GWE Business Forum To Meet With Local Businesses

Justin Tomlinson MP speaks at a Barclays Business Forward event in Swindon earlier
this year

Justin Tomlinson MP today joined his South Swindon colleague Robert Buckland at the quarterly Business Forum hosted by GWE Business West.

The event was an opportunity for Swindon’s business community to discuss their priorities and difficulties with Swindon’s two representatives in Parliament, and for the MPs to feed back to the business community the action the government is taking to help business and help the economy.

Justin Tomlinson MP spoke about the Mary Portas review into the future of the High Street, due to be published this month, and how the proposals contained in the Autumn Statement will affect businesses. Justin updated the business representatives on the announcement of extra capacity on London train services through Swindon and on the creation of the online business support by Business Link.

Justin also spoke about his work to get young people into business, talking about his recent visits to Cirencester and Swindon Colleges to speak with business and finance students.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the general discussion of the future of Swindon’s Plan 500 which this year got over 500 local young people into apprenticeships locally. Also discussed were the promising footfall figures on Swindon’s High Street, with on average a 12% increase this year. November saw an encouraging 23% increase on the same time last year.

Justin Tomlinson MP said “As a former small business owner myself I understand just how essential such meetings are. It is important that we work with and champion local businesses who provide local employment and drive the local economy.”