We’ve got the right tools to tackle year of uncertainty

700,000 residents were eligible to vote in the referendum.

It resulted in 50.4 per cent voting to exit the union. Leave received 227,251 votes to Remain’s 223,451. A total of 614 ballot papers were spoiled. The result pretty much mirrored the UK vote, with 52 per cent opting to leave.

I guess that most of the Leavers had no idea what a complication the whole business would present. But that was probably another inevitability when you consider how skilled many civil servants are at “gold-plating” legislation.

I can’t member the exact figures but there was a story that when a piece of legislation left Brussels it was 50 pages long. When it left the French government it was 75 pages long. When it departed Whitehall it was 100 pages.

However, when you drill down to what exactly what part of Brexit will have the biggest impact on business, the whole issue becomes quite simple.

Exporters will be particularly vulnerable to Brexit because any delays at borders, given that we are out of the custom union, could be catastrophic. The danger is that a company’s long-term European customers will already be looking elsewhere to avoid headaches like that.

And, of course, tighter controls on immigration would harm a company that relies on only a handful of foreign workers among its staff because it cannot find enough skilled engineers, a problem we know only too well in this region.

That is why in the first of our Brexit Toolkits, currently available on the Chamber website (www. greaterbirminghamchambers.com), urges businesses to start pinning down areas of their organisation that are exposed to Brexit-related risks and be thinking what they are going to do about them. There will, of course, also be opportunities to consider.

Regardless of where you stand in the political cut a thrust, there is no denying that Brexit will bring change. With change comes the need for businesses to adapt in order to remain as competitive as possible.

The first part of the Toolkit is designed to give businesses the information they need to start thinking practically about how they can get Brexit-ready. This, along with part two, a “fact pack” on the potential impact of Brexit on the region and businesses views on Brexit, is available on the website now. Part three, a manifesto for stakeholders, launches next week.

We may not know what the final deal will be but we do know a lot about the areas most likely to be affected by Brexit which for many businesses is enough to get started on their strategy.

It’s encouraging that the most forward-thinking businesses we’ve spoken to regard Brexit as a catalyst for getting their firm as fit and healthy as possible.

While the initial impetus for action was Brexit, the steps they are taking make business sense regardless and are all helping them gain and maintain a competitive edge. Paul Faulkner is chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of

Commerce

Forward-thinking businesses regard Brexit as a catalyst for getting their firm as fit and healthy as possible