Doncaster Mayor and MPs to Field Questions From Local Businesses At Upcoming Breakfast Event

Local businesses will have a chance to pose questions directly to their government representatives next month, at a morning event that has been organised by Doncaster Chamber of Commerce.

This open forum will be held at the Warmsworth Holiday Inn on Friday the 21^st of April, where the corresponding MPs for Doncaster North, Doncaster Central and Don Valley —   Ed Miliband, Dame Rosie Winterton and Nick Fletcher respectively —   will gather under one roof to speak with firms in their constituencies. Sitting together on a Q&A style panel, these politicians will also be joined by the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones.

This is part of an ongoing series of MP Breakfasts, the first of which was held back in October 2022. The idea behind these sessions is that businesses can come along to raise any concerns they might have and to start a dialogue about what they feel are the most pressing issues of the day. All with a guarantee that their voices will be heard by those who have the platform to make a real difference in our city.

At the previous October breakfast, there was robust debate about the then-imminent closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA), the impact of business crime in the region, and the toll being exacted by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

The conversation promises to be just as stimulating for April’s event where, once again, any topic that is relevant to local firms can be broached.

Speaking about this, Mayor Ros Jones said: “Hearing from our businesses is vital to progress our journey as a new and thriving city. That key partnership with our business community helps Doncaster to grow and innovate. I always look forward to meeting our local business leaders and, together with our city’s MPs, this breakfast event will offer an opportunity for insight, dialogue and collaboration.”

Echoing these sentiments, Ed Miliband, MP for Doncaster North, said: “Doncaster Chamber’s events are incredibly helpful and give me real insight into the issues facing businesses in Doncaster. The dialogue with local employers is extremely valuable and provides me with key knowledge and information which helps me to do my job in Westminster and I really value these sessions.”

Nick Fletcher, MP for Don Valley, added: “I am looking forward to this event as we move forward in building the strong local economy that Doncaster needs. The closure of the airport has set us back on that. It is so important that we nurture what we have and ensure they do not go the same way. I am thinking of the Market and the City Centre. Let’s protect what we have and build from there.”

Finally, Rt Hon Dame Rosie Winterton DBE, MP for Doncaster Central, said: “The first of these events, held in October of last year, was incredibly successful, where myself and fellow local representatives fielded a variety of questions from local businesses. As a Doncaster Member of Parliament, it is always incredibly useful to hear the views of local businesses and to get first-hand insight into their concerns and ambitions. I am always keen to help promote local businesses and help problem-solve where I can. I would highly recommend this event to any business owner interested in discussing issues that impact Doncaster and the wider region.”

Generously sponsored by international logistics firm, Woodland Group, the MP Breakfast will take place on Friday the 21^st of April. Starting at 8 a.m. and lasting until 10 a.m., it is free for Chamber members to attend.

Luke Fermor, Global Head of Fulfilment at Woodland Group, said: "We are delighted to help bring this event to Doncaster’s business community, so that they have a chance to engage with their political representatives. We are pleased to be able to support an event that brings local authority, government officials, and businesses in the South Yorkshire region together to discuss important issues affecting Yorkshire businesses, and wider communities. We are committed to creating opportunities and will continue to invest into the Yorkshire region to support sustainable growth for all."

Doncaster Chamber is always providing opportunities like this for its members to engage with the government, local authority and other influential partners. For example, there is a regular series of roundtable discussions, which have previously connected businesses up with representatives from The Bank of England and various prominent figures.

On that note, there will be individual roundtables with each of the Doncaster MPs in the near future, so that they can have more extensive conversations with Chamber members in their respective constituencies. Nick Fletcher will be attending the first of these on the 19^th of May, followed by Ed Miliband on the 9^th of June and then Dame Rosie Winterton on the 8^th of September.