Bath Chamber of Commerce
Background
As a wholly owned subsidiary of Business West, the organisation
provides members with an opportunity to influence decisions made
which have a strategic effect on the whole of the West of England –
from Weston-super-Mare via Bristol, all the way to
Swindon.
The Chamber has provided a platform and a meeting place for
business since its foundation in 1902. But it has always adapted
with changing times in order to meet the needs of its members.
These days that means satisfying two principal objectives for
our members in Bath and North East Somerset – ensuring the
interests of business are heard in the corridors of power and that
members have access to networking events and the right services
they need to prosper.
The Chamber is led by the Executive Director and the President,
who chairs the Board which oversees the whole organisation.
An Executive Committee steers the Chamber and agrees policy
formed from the recommendations of the committees. Six members are
elected directly from the membership whilst six others are co-opted
to bring additional specialist knowledge.
Standing committees provide the drive for the Chamber where
members can raise issues of concern, gather and share information
and use their skills and experience across a range of sectors such
as economic development, retail, tourism and transport.
The Chamber is regularly involved in discussions about matters
of concern to people working in commerce.
As a result, the voice of business is at the heart of debates on
all issues which affect the local economy, for example the Core
Strategy, which will provide a blueprint for the way the district
develops in the next 20 years.
The Chamber also runs a full calendar of events, including
informal mixer sessions and business card lunches which prove it is
possible to mix business with pleasure.
In this video Ian
Bell, Director of Bath Chamber of
Commerce, outlines the aims of the Chamber and explains how it
helps local businesses.
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In this video Tessa Coombes,
Director of Policy at Business West gives examples of Business
West's representation activity in Bath and B&NES.
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