It's always good to talk – especially about growth

LATER this week I'll be hosting a discussion forum with ICAEW members from accountancy practices across Wales.

- ROBERT LLOYD GRIFFITHS

It’s a chance to talk openly about what they believe that the next Welsh Government should prioritise after the election to help our economy grow.

We're gathering viewpoints from across the profession - urban and rural, large firms and sole practitioners because we want to understand what's really holding businesses back.

What are the barriers to growth? How do we raise productivity? What should be top of the policy agenda?

These questions matter more than ever. Business confidence is fragile, investment is stalling, and everyday decisions are being slowed by complexity, cost and uncertainty.

Policymakers talk about growth but the businesses trying to deliver it are being held back.

That's why ICAEW has launched its growth campaign, built around a simple but powerful message: doing business is too difficult, too expensive and too uncertain.

These are the themes we'll be exploring with our members in Wales, and they're the ones I'll be taking to the Welsh Government.

As Kellie Beirne, chief executive of the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, said at our annual dinner earlier this month, we must have hope for the future and encourage positivity.