Kia ora ,

I hope you all managed to have a good break over the Easter holidays. For many of you weekends and holidays are not time off. You will have either been staying open to serve your customers or working on your business in other ways.

Whilst we often hear that business is good, it is a tough time for many businesses in what I am describing as a ‘cost of doing business crisis’. This week you can read the survey results we have received from our business confidence survey. Some of the lowlights are:

• 79% of businesses expect that the cost of doing business will be much more or somewhat more expensive over the next 6 months. This is an increase of nearly 6% when compared to January 2023.
• Staff shortages are a continuing and increasing challenge for businesses. More businesses are looking for staff (53.13%) in April 2023 compared to (46.15%) in January 2023.

Generally, the feeling is less positive in April 2023 compared to January 2023. There is some notable optimism from responders about ‘their business’ when compared to how they feel about ‘New Zealand’s’ outlook. This is particularly noticeable for the 6-month outlook, where there is a 35.5% swing in sentiment and optimism that things will be better or the same. You can read the results in this issue or on our website here.

I had the chance to sit down with Minister Andersen last week and I raised with her the issue of cost of doing business. It is important for the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce to raise your voice and views so I was able to express some of the early feedback and results from this survey.

You too can have the opportunity to have your say with senior politicians when we host NZ First, ACT, the National Party and the Labour party over the next 6 weeks. Come along and tell them how you are feeling. Details for all events are on our website.

In this edition of the Hutt Valley Business Weekly:

• Chamber Updates
• 2023 Board Nominations Are Now Open
• Business Confidence Survey Report – April 2023
• Regional Updates

• Have Your Say On The Hutt City Council Draft Annual Plan

• Great Range of Office Furniture and Equipment Available – The Settlement 

• EV Charging – Two MENNEKES Charging Columns Available for Lower Hutt City Businesses

• National Updates

• Good News for Subcontractors - Law changed to protect them

• Featured Events

• BNZ Tech Series: May 2023 Edition - Robotics & Biotechnology
• Shane Jones - Election 2023 and the Business Sector, NZ First's behalf
• Breakfast with David Seymour, ACT Party Leader and Damien Smith, List MP
• Space Day: Celebrating Space Exploration - From the Hutt Valley to NASA
• Plus many more
• More Events & Workshops

• Wellington Business Brief - How Does Leadership Impact Engagement?

• Digital Workshop in Upper & Lower Hutt | Driving Traffic To Your Website
• Member Offers

• BAPS Charities, Rotary Hut City, Haven, Upper Hutt Cossie Club and One Day Training

• Employment Opportunities
• Are You Hiring?

CHAMBER UPDATES

2023 Board Nominations Are Now Open

The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce and Industry's 79^th Annual General Meeting will be held at 5.30pm on Tuesday 23^rd May 2023 at the Chamber offices:  Level 3, DSV House, 15 Daly Street, Lower Hutt.

The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. invites member nominations for its Board.

The Chamber is currently seeking nominees with strong governance skills, a passion for the Hutt Valley’s economic growth and wide business experience.

Click here to place your nomination.

Click here to register to attend the 2023 AGM.

Red Hot Business Coaching & Consulting Business Confidence Survey Report – April 2023

The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce completed this Business Confidence Survey in April 2023. This survey was completed before and after the most recent changes to the interest rates by the Reserve Bank.

The survey is completed with the support of Bronze Partner, Red Hot Business Coaching & Consultancy.

The overall picture from this survey is that there is a mounting ‘Cost of doing business crisis’ with 79% of businesses expecting that the cost of doing business will be much more or somewhat more expensive over the next 6 months. This is an increase of nearly 6% when compared to January 2023. One business commented that ‘Rising costs including the minimum wage rise is just too much for small business, government MPs are NOT listening’ and another commented that ‘SMEs are having it tough while corporates milk the customers. There is a huge imbalance, for example the levels of profits banks get vs SMEs who are the backbone of our economy’. We consider this to be a reflection of the anxiousness of these businesses to the current tough situation.

Adding to the general cost of business are staff costs. This is compounded by the lack of staff and the bargaining power of staff who seek pay rises just to stay at the same organisation. One business commented that ‘The rising expectations of staff for pay rises compared to our ability to move our prices and operate on reduced margin’.

This cost of doing business factor is driving some short, medium and long term sentiment from organisations about their business and New Zealand including:

• A great proportion of businesses feel their business will be somewhat worse off compared to the January 2023 survey in the next 3 months
• 50% of businesses feel like things will be much worse or somewhat worse for their business over the next 3 months
• A large number (75%) of businesses feel like things for New Zealand will be much worse or somewhat worse over the next 3 months. Whilst there is some improvement, 71% in the next 6 months, and 59% over the next 12 months the general feeling is not positive.

You can read more here.

REGIONAL UPDATES

Have Your Say On The Hutt City Council Draft Annual Plan

Hutt City Council are consulting on their draft Annual Plan 2023-2024 from 31^st March 2023.

This year’s draft Annual Plan will see rates increases. Costs and inflation have escalated significantly since the 10-Year Plan was set, which means Council services and projects cost more. Council have informed us that they are working to find a balance so they can continue investing in the basics while keeping the extra cost to ratepayers as low as possible.

Council are proposing to delay some projects and reduce budgets where possible and increase debt levels responsibly to pay for infrastructure and vital projects set out in the 10-Year Plan. Council will be focusing on investing in essentials and getting the basics right, like critical infrastructure and key services for our city – all while being financially responsible in a difficult economic climate. This will also provide commercial opportunities for our local businesses to be involved in future work.

In the year ahead Council is planning to:

• Maintain the existing drinking water, wastewater and stormwater networks and build new infrastructure by investing $75m
• Start redevelopment of the city centre as part of the Riverlink project 
• Begin the Cross Valley Connections work to help reduce traffic along The Esplanade in Petone and make it more bike and pedestrian-friendly 
• Add bike / shared paths for connecting the city centre, Wainuiomata and northern suburbs 
• Maintain the transport network and make it safer plus seismic strengthen the Cuba St overbridge 
• Repair the Eastern Hutt Road 
• Expand the Silverstream landfill 
• Redevelop the Naenae town centre  

In the coming year, Council is also looking to launch a new low-carbon acceleration fund for reducing emissions and are increasing safety and crime prevention activities with the employment of a coordinator working with our commercial centres. 

Hutt City Council wants to hear your feedback on their proposals, because your thoughts are an important piece of information that elected members rely on when making the final decisions about next year’s budget and work programme. Consultation will be open until 30 April and Council will report back to the public in May/June 2023.

How can you participate in the consultation or provide your feedback?

There are two ways to do this.

1. Provide your feedback directly to the Hutt City Council using their feedback mechanism. The link which will be open on 31^st March is as follows: hutt.city/annualplan2023
2. Provide your feedback to the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. We will collate the feedback and write to the Council with the views of our business community. Please email me your views at patrick@hvchamber.org.nz.

Great Range of Office Furniture and Equipment Available – The Settlement 

Unfortunately, The Settlement Petone and Porirua is closing. They have a great range of high-quality available furniture and office equipment available to buy.

The link to the Asset Schedule. There are tabs at bottom of the sheet for Porirua and Petone

Note- some items have been “reserved” - but worth expressing interest in anything you need / like  - just in case things fall through with other parties.

You can see what's available here.

EV Charging – Two MENNEKES Charging Columns Available for Lower Hutt City Businesses

The Hutt City Council wants to support a business that wishes to make progress on reducing their transport emissions.

They have two (2) MENNEKES type 2 Socketed charging columns to provide to two businesses. The units are supplied with two outlets that can charge two vehicles at the same time at up to 11kW each. These units will be donated to a business that is deemed to be the most deserving based on their response to this survey.

The survey can be accessed here.

NATIONAL UPDATES

Good News for Subcontractors -
Law changed to protect them

Changes have been made to legislation to give subcontractors the confidence they will be paid the retention money they are owed should the head contractor’s business fail, Minister for Building and Construction Megan Woods announced last week.

Companies and directors who choose to hold retention money against subcontractors will now be required to hold retention money on trust in a separate bank account, which is unable to be mixed with other company money or assets. Information about the retention money held must be reported to subcontractors on a regular basis, at least once every 3 months.

You can read more here.

FEATURED EVENTS

MORE EVENTS & WORKSHOPS

MEMBER OFFERS

Interviewing Skills for Hiring Managers

When: Wednesday 24 May
Time: 09:00am - 12:00pm
Where: Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, Level 3, 15 Daly St
Price: Non-Member - $350 inc. GST | Chamber Member - $300 inc GST 
Enrolments: RSVP to carol@onedaytraining.co.nz.

Visit onedaytraining.co.nz or call (64+) 021 237 7979

10 Tools For Management and Leadership

When: Tuesday 30 May
Time: 09:00am - 12:00pm
Where: Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, Level 3, 15 Daly St
Price: Non-Member - $350 inc. GST | Chamber Member - $300 inc GST 
Enrolments: RSVP to carol@onedaytraining.co.nz.

Visit onedaytraining.co.nz or call (64+) 021 237 7979

Take a Step For Cyclone Gabrielle: 'Together Let's Rebuild Our Communities'

When: Sunday 07 May
Time: 09:00am - 1:00pm
Where: McEwan Park, Petone, Wellington

Join BAPS Charities as they embark on a journey of over 4 million steps in support of regional benefciaries serving those impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle. The "Take a Step Walkathon" is committed to selfessly serving the community and positively impacting the world, one step at a time.

Quiz Night Fun - Fundraiser

The Rotary Club and Innovative Young Minds invite you to a fun quiz night. RSVP your interest to gaylene@jdicoach.co.nz.

School Holiday Fun For Your Kids

The Upper Hutt Cossie Club have a big bounce event for kids on the 19^th April. Entry is a gold coast donation which goes to Dementia Wellington, Cossie Clubs Charity of the year.

Extend Your Summer

Refer a friend or yourself for a no-obligation meeting with a Haven Advisor. Go in the draw to win a $4000 travel voucher.

Click here to get started.

Want More Member Offers?

To see a list of our member's offers visit our Members Marketplace on our website here or check out our Hutt Valley Chamber App to see a list of all the deals we have on offer for Chamber members.

You can download our Hutt Valley Chamber App from the Apple App Store here and the Google Play Store here. Please contact Patrick patrick@hvchamber.org.nz for account instructions or questions.

EMPLOYMENT

Are You Hiring?

If you have a job suitable for a student get in touch with our Education to Employment Coordinator Amanda Walters at  amanda@hvchamber.org.nz or call 049399821.

Thank you to all our Partners

As always, special thanks to all our Members and Partners for your ongoing support.