The event also featured a presentation from Neil Holly, development strategy manager at Rugby Borough Council, on the borough’s local plan.

Karen has chaired the forum for almost a decade – a period that has seen firms have to deal with a range of national and international issues from Brexit to Covid.

She said: “I have been incredibly proud to chair this group for almost ten years and it has been a privilege to get to know so many local companies and leaders who want the best for Rugby and the surrounding borough.

“It has been an uncertain and unpredictable period for businesses and I have seen, first hand, how the Chamber has stepped forward in those times to support companies of all sizes and sectors.

“We’ve also provided a voice into decision-makers and this meeting was a case in point.

“We were delighted to welcome John Slinger to the meeting who updated us on the economy and then took questions from businesspeople on everything from National Insurance through to support for young people.

“Neil Holly gave a very insightful presentation on the local plan and I’d urge businesses to ensure they engage with that process to make sure their voice is heard.

“More broadly, that would be my message to companies as I stand down from this role. In these rapidly changing times, businesses needed to talk about the issues affecting them and there is no better vehicle than the Chamber to do that.”

Neil said the local plan included more 1,000,000 square metres of employment space across several sites in the borough.

John Slinger MP said that firms had faced difficult times but that the Government was pro-business.

He urged companies to keep him informed of the issues they are facing so he could feed them back in Westminster.

John said: “Firstly, I’d like to thank Karen Shuter for all her dedicated work for the business community in Rugby and beyond.

“I am extremely proud to represent Rugby and I believe there is a huge amount of potential for the borough.

“From a broader Government policy point of view, we’re changing the planning rules to support growth; we’ve secured trade deals with the USA, India and the EU; and we’re changing the rules around the apprenticeship levy.

“I understand these have been difficult times for businesses and I urge them to keep feeding back to me so I can take that message to ministers.”

Corin Crane, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “I’d like to say thank you to Neil and John for joining the meeting and bringing such insightful updates.

“I would also like to pay tribute to Karen for all of her dedication and diligence in chairing our Rugby Local Business Forum for almost a decade and thank her for the incredible contribution she has made.”

Anyone who like to put themselves forward as the new chair of the forum should contact Brenda Scholtz, Executive Office Manager at the Chamber, at [email protected] 

Pictured: Front – John Slinger MP and Karen Shuter with businesspeople at the Rugby Local Business Forum