Chamber News
In Business for Business
Pilot Town Update
Opportunity Knocks
Representatives of the Carlow and Limerick Town Teams travelled to Dublin yesterday to kick start their Pilot Town projects.
John Brophy, PJ Hickson, Michael Brennan and Turlough O Brien met with the national steering committee and were given an overview of the processes and expected outcomes.
This project provides a real opportunity for Carlow and will provide important interventions for implementation in the Town Centre over the next 12 months.
In a nutshell, the primary issues afflicting Town Centres are issues such as
Out of town retail preference
Weakening town centre retail mix
Greater consumer mobility
Carparking charges and enforcement
Proactive management
Mixed landlord base
Accessibility
Consumer behaviour
Online competition
Planning Policy
The Pilot Town project will consider possible interventions that may be taken to renew Carlow Town Centre
The immediate step to be taken is the establishment of an effective partnership or Town team
Our Town team must embrace all strands of society, have a clear mandate and deliver on measureable actions
Let the work begin
Chamber Education
Have you enrolled yet?
Our next course will again be in IT Carlow and will be an NQF level 8 Course in Online Marketing.
The aim of the course is to introduce the participant to the dynamics and challenges of the principles, practices of online marketing and digital media in marketing. It aims to equip the participant with the skills to create, develop, maintain and critically evaluate an excellent online marketing communication strategy.
Anyone looking to improve their Online presence - this is a great learning opportunity for your business.
Full course details available on request.
You can book your place now by filling in the online application below.
This programme is supported by Carlow County Enterprise Board
Local Businesses Must Not Be Excluded From the Public Tendering Process
Carlow Chamber has called on the Government to ensure local firms are not excluded from public tendering processes. The call was made in a submission to the review of Local Government Sectoral Strategy to Promote Employment and Support Local Enterprise by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Chamber President John Brophy said, “It is vital that Local Authorities use the tendering process as an opportunity to support local business and realise its importance in terms of local job retention and growth. A recent High Court decision ruled that the Commissioners for Public Works were acting ultra vires by introducing a mandatory National Procurement Framework and recommending that all public bodies purchase supplies from centralised contractors rather than local businesses. The Government urgently needs to update its guidelines to ensure that local businesses are not excluded from tendering processes.”
“Government departments and agencies need to be more mindful of the positive outcomes of awarding tenders to locally based suppliers. Rather than applying a ‘value for money’ criteria based solely on lowest price, consideration must be given to the value produced to the national economy in terms of jobs retained and created, revenue increased and welfare costs reduced arising from awarding contracts.”
Other recommendations made by the Chamber in the submission include a targeted reduction in commercial rates for business in town centres, ensuring the Valuation (Amendment) (No 2) Bill is used as an opportunity to help business and increased collaboration between Local Authorities and Chambers of Commerce.
A Year in the Life
If you would like to be included at some stage please contact us and let us know!
Email: news@carlow-nationalist.ie
Website: http://www.carlow-nationalist.ie/
Location: Hanover House, Carlow
Phone: +353 59 9170100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarlowNationalist
Twitter: @cwnationalist
Co Carlow Chamber
Email: ceo@carlowchamber.com
Website: www.carlowchamber.com
Location: Athy Road, Carlow, Ireland
Phone: 0599132337
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlow.chamber
Twitter: @carlowchamber