Alex Sobel MP hosted a Question and Answer session on Tuesday’s meeting of the Otley and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce.
The organisations key objective is ‘to promote, improve and represent the business interests of Otley and the surrounding district and, when appropriate, act as an informed voice for local businesses.’
Tuesday’s meeting was attended by several local businesses including Dowgill House, Otley Boats, Print Crew, Cranberry and Keeley from Doris Dent Estates who is Chamber President.
Mr Sobel took questions on a range of issues including local transport services and policing as well as outlining his vision for promoting tourism and working with local businesses.
He also described the visits he has made in his last year to local businesses and encouraged more to invite him to see their organisations first hand.
In a tweet after the meeting Otley Chamber of Trade and Commerce wrote:
“Interesting Q&A session with @alexsobel MP at last night's meeting thanks for visiting us He's very keen to engage with our business community so get in touch if you have any issues he can support you with.”
Mr Sobel, who has been the local MP for just over a year said “It was a great pleasure to meet with so many wonderful local businesses last night. It is important for me to engage with the concerns of businesses to understand how I can best represent them and ensure the best possible environment for business to thrive in Otley. It has been a difficult few years for small business and it is important that policies are implemented at a national level to help small businesses to thrive.”
“It was interesting to hear that the concerns of local businesses are often the same as the issues that affect residents. They need a thriving transport service that bring people into the town. I talked in detail about the need for bus regulation and the process to get it.
Businesses were worried about the cuts to local police. I absolutely agreed with them and reminded them about labours pledge to recruit 10,000 more police officers.”
“I have visited many local businesses in Otley over the past year and look forward to meeting more in the months and years to come.”