Visit to company's new offices as it expands in Altrincham
Our economic recovery depends on continuing the growth of private sector employment. You do not create jobs, growth and prosperity simply by throwing scarce taxpayers' money at the problem and hoping that you will end up with a vibrant economy. Jobs, growth and prosperity have to come about because people set up small businesses, are encouraged to employ people and, beyond some essential and sensible employment rights, the main role that politicians should play is to stay out of the way of wealth creators and ensure that they do not introduce so many rules and regulations that they actively inhibit entrepreneurs. No-one wants to go into business and no-one wants to take on staff if it takes all day to fill in mountains of paperwork dreamed up by bureaucrats in an office in Whitehall. It was for this reason that I was delighted to go along to the opening of two purpose built office blocks in Altrincham because a local media agency is expanding. It is excellent to see a business putting its faith in the local area. Add People,a digital marketing services firm will be employing local people at their exciting new premises and should go from strength to strength. I had a letter from Mark Prisk who is Minister of State for Business and Enterprise, telling me about the progress that he has been making in cutting down the burden of regulation that stifles small firms. The 'One in,one out' system of regulatory control means that that means that all Ministers are now required to identify reductions in regulatory costs to business if they want to introduce new regulations which have a cost to businesses. This should put a brake on the seemingly endless flow of rules and regulations which businesses have to deal with before they've sold anything or provided employment for even one person. It is the kind of approach which should help firms, not only to survive but to expand, invest and innovate. I hope that Add People will be among many success stories for Altrincham and that the Government really does manage to cut red tape and allows local businesses to thrive.
This article was written for the Sale and Altrincham Advertiser