10:51am Friday 12th March 2010
By Richard Garfield
IT’S all systems go for Hampshire Chamber of Commerce – and it is set to become one of the UK’s biggest regional business networks.
Members of Southampton & Fareham Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SFCCI) put the final seal on the historic merger in a unanimous “yes” vote at a meeting last week.
Their decision followed votes in favour of the cre ation of the super chamber by members of North Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NHCCI) and Portsmouth & South East Hampshire Chamber of Commerce (PSEHCC) in February.
John Harrocks, chief executive of NHCCI, based in Basingstoke, said: “I’m very pleased with the result and the fact that it was overwhelming with no votes against the merger at each extraordinary meeting.
“Members of NHCCI and the other chambers will have access to greater resources and services and more networking opportunities.
“The new chamber will have a stronger lobbying voice and will offer members a much wider range of networking opportunities – the two main rea sons that most businesses give for joining a cham ber of commerce.”
John said the existing members of the three chambers will automatically become members of the Hampshire Chamber from the start of the new financial year in April.
They will remain affiliated to their local chamber office and will have access to the same services and support as now, but their membership fee will also open up a countywide package of events, network ing, training and lobbying services.
Under the merger, chamber staff will remain in post but may by agreement change responsibilities during the first year of trading as Hampshire Chamber. The existing NHCCI offices will be retained along with other local offices in Southampton and Portsmouth “This is an historic moment and I am very excited about it,” said John. “Like my opposite numbers at Portsmouth and Southampton, Maureen Frost and Jimmy Chestnutt, I have put a lot of time and effort into this initiative – as have our respective boards and staff – because I feel strongly that it is the best thing that we can do for the businesses of Hampshire.
“The three chambers considered merging on a couple of occasions in the last 10 years, but the rea sons for continuing as separate chambers out weighed those for merging.
“In 2007, the time seemed right to approach the question again, based on a strategic look at how the chambers could best serve Hampshire businesses in the years ahead.”
In time, John expects Hampshire Chamber to become fully accredited with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) He said: “A single Hampshire chamber would first aim to meet the new BCC accreditation standard and, if the members so wished, we’d then apply for accreditation.”
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