Across Oxfordshire, we are blessed with some really vibrant high streets and brilliant local businesses, restaurants and shops. From Coles Books, to Alfonso Gelateria, and from The Nightingale to Any Time Fitness, Bicester and Woodstock is a wonderful example of how we can nurture great local businesses.
My parents ran their own businesses - and my twin sister and I spent our summer holidays assisting them with their two businesses; typing up notes for the accountancy practice, and helping in the factory for the high street retailers they supplied.. My partner is also a tech entrepreneur, so I know the hard work that goes into making a success of a business, and have recently set up my own business - following in my family's footsteps.
I want to support our local businesses, shops and restaurants, and work with the Government to make life a little easier our hard working entrepreneurs.
A few years ago, I worked as the lead economist on a campaign to tackle youth unemployment and making it cheaper for businesses to hire a young person - this campaign led to a change in the law whereby employers no longer pay NI on under 25s. I want to build on this work by making it easier and cheaper to succeed in business.
I want to support local businesses through pushing for a reform of business rates and organising a jobs fair to help match jobseekers with vacancies. I organised a jobs fair several years ago with over 500 attendees and 30 local employers, and would love the opportunity to do so again.