Norwich South MP Simon Wright met with local retailer Nigel Dowdney at his Earlham Shopper store on 23^rd January to discuss some of the key issues that have recently been affecting Nigel’s business.

Nigel invited Mr Wright to visit his store in Norwich to highlight the important role that local shops play in their communities. During their meeting, the pair discussed a variety of concerns Nigel currently has, including the 2014 changes to Statutory Sick Pay, local planning issues and the implementation of standardised tobacco packaging.

On the 19th January, David Cameron called for Britain to become a nation of ‘full employment’ in a speech setting out Conservative jobs pledges.

Mr Cameron said full employment would mean that ‘anyone who wants a job is able to get a job in our country’.  Cameron set no timeframe for the pledge to be fulfilled.

The Labour Party have this morning published a series of policy announcements on the issue of public health which would be implemented if they are to form the next Government.

The Paper covers a number of areas including physical activity, food, tobacco and community resilience. Some of the key announcements include:

Award winning Leamington Spa retailer Sunder Sandher has moved a step closer to introducing a stricter speed limit outside his store as a result of campaigning with his local MP.

The road outside Sunder’s One Stop store features two schools but is subjected to cars frequently exceeding the 30mph speed limit. In a store visit at the end of 2014, Sunder spoke to his local MP Chris White about the problem and called on Mr White to help him in asking the local council to consider a 20mph limit on the road.

Ed Miliband gave a speech on Monday (5^th January) in Salford, beginning Labour’s campaign ahead of the 2015 General Election. In his speech he highlighted the measures Labour would take that would affect small businesses. These measures include:

Local MP, Sajid Javid, recently met with convenience store retailer, Chaz Chahal, in his Costcutter store situated in Bromsgrove.

With ACS, Chaz invited his local MP to visit his store to highlight the important role that convenience stores play in local communities during the run up to the general election in May 2015. The pair discussed a variety of issues including parking, local competition and help for small businesses.

Mr Javid said: “It was fantastic to meet Chaz in his store. This is another example of a successful local business.

Steve Baker, MP for Wycombe, spent Friday afternoon (15^th December) working hard in one of his constituent's award-winning convenience store. Raaj Chandarana invited his local MP to be part of his annual community Christmas party at the High Wycombe store, Tara's News, after meeting him at the ACS Heart of the Community event in October.

On Friday (5th Dec), Crispin Blunt, MP for Reigate in Surrey, popped in to his local shop to visit leading independent retailers, Dean and Russell Holborn, to discuss some of the key issues that have recently been affecting their business. Whilst there, Mr Blunt took advantage of Holborn’s Christmas offerings to order his Christmas tree and turkey.

Award winning independent retailer, Sunder Sandher, has met local MP, Chris White, in his store to discuss some of the key issues that have been affecting his business ahead of the election in May.

Sunder talked to Chris White MP about the savings that he had recently made on his business rates by going through the Rates Bill line by line and making sure it matched up with his store. Through attention to detail alone, Sunder reclaimed over £4,000 in overpaid business rates.