Companies in Coventry and Warwickshire are appealing for certainty, stability and a platform from which to grow in 2025, according to a business chief.
Corin Crane, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said the two areas continued to enjoy a more positive outlook than other parts of the country but companies in the city and county were crying out for stability.
He said: "We live, work and play in an incredible region that has everything - from forward-thinking, global manufacturers through to some of the most amazing places for leisure and tourism.
"And, when we conduct our quarterly economic surveys with businesses across the city and the county, the outlook is normally well ahead of the national average.
"So we know this is a great place to invest and grow a business and we offer lots of support to companies that want to expand, create jobs and serve their local communities.
"All that said, there is no doubt the past few years have been tough - going all the way back to the uncertainty around Brexit, followed by Covid and a series of global events that have impacted here.
"There was a feeling the new Government would bring stability but the messaging around the Budget followed by the increases in business costs have had a further impact on confidence. We ended 2024 with very mixed economic news."
He said that the majority of businesses the chamber spoke to across the region were really hoping that 2025 brought some certainty and stability so they could plan for growth.
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"We need to see policies that drive economic growth and quick reactions to those that are holding this growth back," he added.
"We know our local businesses are world beaters, they just need political decisions to be made to help them on their way."