In partnership with
SEKHON GROUP OF COMPANIES
The Yorkshire Asian Business Association (YABA) met with Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, for a business round table event centred around recruitment and expansion of businesses within the area. Business leaders and members of the YABA council centred conversation on ways to make living, visiting, working and doing businesses in the West Yorkshire region even better. Specifically, the BAME community were at the heart of conversation, highlighting issues relating to access to resources, social capital, networks and information that would aid in the setting up and running of a business.
Sharon Jandu, founder of the Yorkshire Asian Business Association, expressed her enthusiasm towards the event, citing how important the event was in shaping the future of the West Yorkshire area in relation to how businesses can operate, as well as praising the input of influential business owners and members of YABA for their input to make this vision of a more prosperous and unified future a reality.
Pledges were made to promote development within the West Yorkshire region by the mayor, to support people living and working within the constituency. This included: creating 1,000 well paid, skilled jobs for young people, prioritising skills and training to ensure everyone in West Yorkshire has the skills they need to secure work, supporting local businesses that uphold the regional economy, and appoint an Inclusivity Champion to ensure that the region’s recovery benefits all. Collectively, these pledges strive to create a more forward thinking and prosperous future for West Yorkshire with greater opportunities for those looking to either begin working or progress within their current working role.
The Yorkshire Asian Business Association’s presence at the meeting was pivotal in discussion surrounding issues faced by the Asian business community within Yorkshire as well as the major contribution to the UK economy made by British Asian businesses; despite making up just 4% of the population, British Asian owned businesses generated 10% of the United Kingdom’s GDP. Despite this success, concerns lie around how British Asian owned businesses often face little recognition and are in fact ignored when in need of support. Issues facing this community include access to finance, lack of skills and staff shortages, access to business premises, and local council issues of planning and business support. These issues were tackled head on through discussion as part of this roundtable meeting, with the mayor hearing, understanding and pledging to aid British Asian businesses that require support.
Business owners and members of YABA present at the roundtable event included Iqbal Singh Sekhon (also known as Simmy Sekhon) of the Sekhon Group of Companies, Amir Hussain of Yeme Architects, and Mahboob Hussain of Icestone Gelato. They each had thoughts to share regarding the progress made at the meeting, as well as aspirations for the future for British Asian owned businesses in West Yorkshire.
Simmy Sekhon noted, “it is great to have open debate in business and to exchange ideas with the mayor of our region. It is essential that with Mayor Brabin we tackle the crises affecting the working people of West Yorkshire; for example with increasing energy bills which put the Northern people at a disadvantage yet again. The price per unit of electric is the same in the south, however as incomes and property values are far inferior in the north, Northerners are once again at a disadvantage. Government intervention is essential and this is where we need to see levelling up come into play; but this can only happen by sharing an open debate and explaining business problems.” He added, “the issues concerning streamlining planning permissions in our region were discussed with our Mayor and she has pledged to look into these as a matter of urgency to stop the unfair and unnecessary red tape.” Praising the event and the discussions had with fellow business owners, Simmy Sekhon concluded, “such excellent businesses shared such mature and forward thinking views. It was a pleasure to be present.”
Mahboob Hussain, CEO of hugely successful desert restaurant franchise Icestone Gelato which employs more than 150 people, also attended with sights set on improving recruitment and putting in place opportunities to build employability skills. As he looks to expand his business within the region, he believes more must be done to encourage young people into working roles and capitalise on employability teaching and training.
Amir Hussain, CEO of award winning Bradford based architectural firm Yeme Architects, furthered this notion, agreeing that British Asian owned businesses required further support and praising the valuable opportunity for YABA to meet with Mayor Brabin. “It was incredibly valuable for members of the Asian Business community to have an opportunity to meet Mayor Brabin face to face to maximise the inherent potential of this vital sector of the regional economy. Consolidating and coordinating all our efforts at this challenging time celebrates and optimises our rich diversity to help establish West Yorkshire as a key component within the Northern Powerhouse.”
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