Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce is calling for simpler, quicker planning decisions, better access to trade finance and  measures to make it easier for firms to recruit and export as part of a campaign to make 2011 a year for business growth.

The Chamber will work with the British Chambers of Commerce and the UK Chamber network to lobby and influence key decision makers and opinion formers at local authorities, central Government and the EU to ensure that all policy decisions are pro-business and promote growth.

The Year for Growth initiative will form a key strand of the Chamber’s lobbying priorities for 2011, which will be unveiled soon. The campaign will cover four main themes:

Making Recruitment Easier – Government must make it easier for companies to take on staff throughout the UK by removing barriers such as unnecessary red tape and administrative burdens.

Simpler, Faster Planning Decisions – The Chamber calls for action to

simplify planning and development control, which prioritises business expansion.

Increasing Business Investment – The campaign will focus on ensuring greater responsiveness from Government and financial institutions to help companies seeking to make major investments in people, machinery, premises and new ideas.

Supporting British Exporters – The Chamber will call for concrete action to support new exporters, encourage firms to enter new international markets, and facilitate critical trade finance flows.

Ian Morgan, President of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Chamber believes that 2011 should be designated as a year for growth and will work tirelessly to lobby and influence key local and national decision-makers and policy-setters to achieve the objectives of this important initiative.

“Whilst the economy made significant strides over the last 12 months, there is still some way to go before it is back to full health – the preliminary GDP figures for the fourth quarter of 2010 were much worse than expected and show that we are not out of the woods just yet.

“In order to make 2011 a year for growth, Government must focus all of its efforts on enabling the private sector to create the employment, wealth and economic activity needed to sustain and secure the recovery. Any obstacles which stifle growth or hamper businesses in their efforts to create jobs, invest and export must be removed.”