The Plaid Cymru candidate for the Mid and South Pembrokeshire constituency, Cris Tomos, has this week met with Tenby Chamber of Commerce to discuss the challenges facing small and medium size enterprises in the area. 

The costs of ever increasing overheads and staffing costs were explained by the businesses. The chamber members also explained how continual additional requirements and costs from the Welsh Government have an impact on local business, such as the cost of commercial waste collections. Cris Tomos explained how he had supported many social businesses in gaining funding for ideas such as solar and battery storage to reduce the running costs of energy for small businesses. Cris also explained how having a great number of chamber of commerce and business clubs in Pembrokeshire could look at a bulk buying services for Pembrokeshire businesses to push for the best prices to support the local economy. Cris concluded that the Labour Welsh Government’s decisions on Apprenticeships in its last budget was a backwards step, significantly cutting the apprenticeship budget. With a number of sectors in Wales highlighting the availability of skills as being a significant barrier, a skills strategy and industrial strategy is sorely needed.