Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch, visited West Dorset this week to meet with members of Dorchester Chamber of Business and small business owners across the constituency.
The Q&A session was hosted by Chris Loder MP at Kingston Maurward College, with discussions on topics including the Civil Service, red tape for small businesses, Council Tax, and investment in rural areas.
Steve Bulley, President of Dorchester Chamber for Business said: “We were delighted to host the small business forum with the Secretary of State. In the year of the small business hearing her passion for supporting the lifeblood of our economy was reassuring and insightful.”
Mr Loder said: “It’s great to have the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kemi Badenoch, join us today in West Dorset, showing her support for small business in West Dorset. Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and I’m pleased that so many small business owners got the chance speak with Kemi. With 97% of our local businesses being small or micro-sized, it’s critical that we support our local business owners – and the Business Secretary backs my continuous campaign.”
Questions from the audience included the issue of remote and flexible working for small businesses, access to better connectivity for West Dorset, recruitment of professionals and more targeted assistance for farms and rural businesses.
Photograph (L-R) Steph Addison, Vice President of Dorchester Chamber for Business; Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset; Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for Business and Trade; Luke Rake, Principal of Kingston Maurward College; and , President of Dorchester Chamber for Business.
With over 100 members any business in Dorset can join Dorchester Chamber from business for £60p/a (no VAT).
