An ambitious plan to more than double the South East's economy by 2050, create half a million new jobs, reduce congestion, cut emissions and boost air quality has been published - and people across the region can have their say.

The draft transport strategy has been produced by Transport for South East (TfSE), a unique partnership of local authorities, business groups and transport bodies formed to speak with one voice on the region's transport priorities.

The strategy says that with the right investment in our region's transport network the South East's economy will more than double over the next thirty years - from £183 billion to between £450 billion and £500 billion per year - creating an additional 500,000 jobs, boosting quality of life and access to opportunities, while helping cut the South East's carbon emissions to net-zero.

The strategy sets out a thirty-year framework to guide decisions about where, when and how money is invested in the South East's transport network, along with a range of policy changes and other initiatives to make sustainable travel easier and more attractive to people and businesses. These include arguing for a real-terms freeze of rail fares, cheaper off-peak fares and extra funding to protect and enhance rural bus services.

Reducing the region’s reliance on private cars – which account for 70% of all journeys compared to just 4% by rail and 5% by bus – is vitally important as the strategy is clear that catering for forecast road traffic growth in the South East is no longer sustainable in the long term. It will also help cut carbon emissions and improve air quality as private cars contribute more to UK greenhouse gas emissions than any other form of transport.

For the next 12 weeks, people and organisations across the South East will be able to have their say on the draft transport strategy online.

Have your say

To read the draft transport strategy and take part in the consultation, follow this link. The deadline for responses is Friday, 10 January 2020.

Next steps

Following the public consultation, a final version of the transport strategy will be put to Transport for the South East’s board in spring 2020. A strategic investment plan is planned for publication in 2021, providing a prioritised, costed and deliverable list of schemes, initiatives and policies to start turning the South East’s vision into reality.

image: Transport for the South East

Off the back of a £1 million refurbishment project, Regus Chertsey is hosting a launch event - and you're invited!

On Wednesday 20th November, join Business Runnymede, Surrey Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of Small Business and many more at the launch event for Regus Chertsey's new look business lounge, co-working space, and cafe.

From 5pm to 7pm they'll be drinks and nibbles served to celebrate the opening of the stylish new facilities, for what promises to be a fun and informative evening.

Places are limited, so follow this link and reserve your spot!

image: Regus Chertsey

Earlier this month HSBC UK launched a new, £200 million lending fund for SMEs in Sussex and Surrey, as part of its commitment to help businesses realise their ambition for growth and navigate Brexit.

The fund is a constituent part of a wider £14 billion fund for SMEs across the UK. Since its launch five years ago, the fund has pledged over £60 billion in supporting its aims to see British enterprise innovative, evolve, and grow.

This year's fund sees increased, ring-fenced pots for international business and the agriculture sector. The international business allocation has been doubled to £2 billion nation-wide, with the money available for agriculture increasing to £1 billion from £300 million in the previous year.

HSBC UK's Head of Banking for Sussex and Surrey, Andrew Steer, commented on the fund, saying:

"The launch of this year's £200 million fund shows our commitment to support the growth aspirations of SMEs across the region. This fund is all about helping businesses to take new opportunities and grow, and we want to reassure them that we're here to support them achieve their goals."

Read more here.

image: HSBC UK

BizSpace, the UK's largest provider of flexible workspace, is set to launch their new site in Egham.

The business centre has undergone extensive refurbishment over the last few months to offer small businesses the very best modern, flexible and affordable workspaces - and you can check it out for yourself at their open house launch event on 4th December.

Catering to the UK's growing army of freelancers, entrepreneurs and small businesses, BizSpace Egham will provide a base for individuals and teams to work, comprising of average workspaces of 250 sq ft. in size. You'll also find a welcoming reception, breakout areas and meeting rooms.

Who should attend?

The markers, planners, doers and creatives. If you're a small business owner or an aspiring one, or simply enthuasiastic about business.

Why attend?

• Take a look around the newly refurbished centre
• Network with other attendees
• Enjoy some refreshments and entertainment.

When & where?

Wednesday 4th December 2019, 1pm to 3.30pm

Paramount House - Biz Space Egham, 1 Delta Way, Egham, TW20 8RX

Register your place here.

image: BizSpace Egham

Make it easier to import goods from the EU in a no-deal Brexit by delaying your declaration and paying import duties and VAT.

In a no-deal Brexit, UK businesses will need to apply the same procedures to EU trade that apply to trading with the rest of the world. You can make it easier to import goods from the EU by using transitional simplified procedures.

Who should register

You can register for transitional simplified procedures if you:

• have an EORI number that starts with GB
• are importing goods from the EU into the UK (including goods travelling through the EU from the rest of the world if they've gone through EU customs)
• are established in the UK - this means: you're a sole trader who is resident in the UK; your company or partnership has a registered office in the UK; your company or partnership has a permanent place of business in the UK where they carry out their business activities.

Who should not register

You should not register if:

• the only goods you import are coming into the UK directly from outside the EU
• you'll use a customs special procedure
• you're importing the goods for someone else (like if you're a freight forwarder)
• you have a consistent history of submitting late tax returns, not paying tax or duties, or your business is insolvent

What you'll need

You'll need your:

• EORI number that starts with GB
• VAT registration number (if you have one)
• business name and UK address
• contact details

If you have import duties to pay (and import VAT if you're not registered for VAT), you must have a duty deferment account.

Check the tariff rates to see if you need to pay import duties and VAT on your goods.

Register here.

For more information on how your business needs to prepare for Brexit, vist our dedicated page here.

image: gov.uk

Runnymede Borough Council is seeking the views of business - including owners, managers, and employees - as they consult on their Corporate Business Plan, due to launch in Spring 2020. The plan will inform the direction and priorities of the Council up to 2024.

The survey is live until 24 November 2019: follow this link to have your say.

One lucky participant of the consultation will win a set of One4all multi-store gift vouchers worth £100 (which can be accepted in thousands of shops and over 130 high street brands). Terms and conditions can be found here.

While it is not clear how the Government's Fair Funding Review and changes to the Business Rates system will change Government funding in the future, the Council has been preparing for significant falls in government grants by generating sustainable income through:

• a regeneration and property investment strategy;
• making efficiencies, e.g. reduced costs through new contracts, shared services and automating processes; and
• expanding their services to create additional income streams, e.g. CCTV, community transport, “Meals at Home”, etc.

As a result, the Council have not had to stop delivering any of their services, discretionary or statutory, during this period.

The Council are mindful that they will still need an ability to be flexible so that they can react to challenges as they occur, both with themselves and their partners.

image: Runnymede Borough Council

Creative England, in partnership with Triodos Bank UK, has launched a £24 million fund to provide vital scale-up finance to the UK's most promising creative businesses.

The fund will target post-revenue, IP rich SMEs that have reached a point of scale that requires supporting finance. At present, the scale-up window for creative industry SMEs sees 72% suffering from a lack of growth capital.

The fund will be supported in part by Triodos Bank UK, a specialist ethical bank, in addition to Creative England. Launched at a time where traditional lending to SMEs has reached an all-time low, it will be deployed across the creative industries, subject to an application process underpinned by viable investment potential.

Serving as a key differentiator to traditional SME lending, in addition to individual loans deployed, Creative England will provide counsel that is aligned specifically to growth in the creative industries via a regional network of investment and sector specialists. Testament to Creative England’s active involvement in the support of investee companies in this arena, a record 83% of businesses supported by Creative England have succeeded past year 3, compared to the national average of 60%.

The structure of the fund

The fund – Creative Growth Finance – will offer one of the most competitive interest rates available on the SME lending market; each loan will be built around a repayment structure that suits the diverse nature of each beneficiary business. The fund will provide business loans of up to £500,000 to creative firms showing potential for growth and scaling, in addition to revenue and intellectual property.

Breakdown of fund structure: £10million provided by Triodos Bank UK, £5million from Creative England and £9million of funds reinvested from returns over the four years.

Find out more and apply here.

image: Creative England

A trial is under way for a farmers' market to be held in Englefield Green, providing shoppers with a great way to purchase fresh, local goods directly from their producers.

The high quality market consists of a wide variety of seasonal farmed produced supplies, including some of the Borough's finest fruit, vegetables, honey, cakes, pies and crafts.

The farmers' market will take place on Saturday 23 November, at Victoria Street car park, Englefield Green, TW20 0QX, from 9am - 1pm

The market is organised and funded by Runnymede Borough Council. Councillor Nigel King, Chairman of the Community Services Committee, said: "Local markets add footfall and economic regeneration to our high streets; they bring communities together and provide a platform for local business to gain new customers.

It would be great to see the market well supported by the residents of Englefield Green and hopefully by shoppers living further afield."

If you're a producer of fresh, local goods and would be interested in being involved in future markets, please email [email protected].

image: Runnymede Borough Council

Esquires Coffee at Addlestone One is your new go-to place for not only an ethical brew, but a delicious breakfast, brunch and deli menu!

Established in 1993 in Delta, British Columbia, Esquires Coffee expanded to Europe in 2000 and has had tremendous success, now operating over 50 stores across the UK & Ireland.

Be sure to check them out!

Opening times:

Mon - Thurs: 7am-6pm

Fri: 7am-8pm

Sat: 8am-8pm

Sun: 9am-5pm

Nando's arrives!

The popular South African restaurant chain Nando's also opened its doors to customers in Addlestone this month. With a menu featuring their famous flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken, why not pop down to see what all the fuss is about?

Opening times and further details here.

image: Esquires Coffee

The Chertsey Christmas Goose Fair returns for its third wonderful year, with everything you could possibly want to begin the Christmas festivities.

The bells of St Peters Church will ring from 10am to mark the beginning of the fair, followed by Oatlands Park Pipe Band at 11am.

Start your Christmas shopping early, with over fifty stalls selling goods from Christmas trees, to turkeys - or even a goose!

Bands will be playing throughout the town, and the Mayor of Runnymede will be there from 11am with free gifts for children. There is even a rumour Saint Nicholas himself may be paying a visit! And of course, just like every year at the fair, you can count on snow!

10am - 2.30pm, Saturday 7th December 2019.

Don't miss the turning on of the lights at 8pm on Friday 6th at St Peter's Church too.

More information on stalls and sponsorship here.

image: Alan Bostock

Join us in Addlestone town centre as we celebrate the Christmas light switch-on.

There will be light (pun intended) entertainment for all the family - including performances for an award-winning choir, face-painting, stalls and friendly Christmas characters walking around too!

The choir will begin at 4.30pm, followed by entertainment, with the lights switch-on at 6pm prompt!

image: Wikimedia Commons