Doncaster Business Insight Survey - Quarter 4 2018

The Doncaster Business Insight Survey captures a regular snapshot of business sentiment on the local economy and hot business matters. Results are shared anonymously with local, regional and national policy makers and influencers to ensure your business voice is heard, any important issues are addressed, and the right policies/structures are in place to support your business and the economy.

For every survey submitted by a Doncaster-based business, £1 will be donated to charity. This quarter it will be Real Help Doncaster, a new partnership scheme that helps people off the street and into a healthier and safer lifestyle.

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* 1. Name of organisation (optional)

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* 2. Your name (optional)

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* 3. Email address (optional)

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* 4. Are you a member of Doncaster Chamber? (If you are not a Chamber member, where is your business located?)

Yes

Location if not a Doncaster Chamber member

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* 5. How many people does your organisation or branch employ?

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* 6. What is your main business activity?

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Doncaster business matters

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* 7. What would be the biggest impact of ‘better’ and ‘faster’ rail connections to the Manchester City Region for Doncaster?
(For project details visit Transport for the North)

Ability to benefit from an agglomeration that better connections can bring
(Eg. Increased productivity by closer clustering economic activity through the more efficient exchange of ideas, labour, goods and services)

Stimulate additional investment into Doncaster through better international air connections

Negligible impact

Other (please specify)

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* 8. Given the Peak District National Park and the difficulty of improving the road connections to Manchester, which option would most benefit Doncaster and your business?
(For more project details visit Trans-Pennine Programme)

Rail link

A628 road improvement

M62 improvement

Doncaster should only focus on rail and road connections east of the Pennines and not be involved in Northern Powerhouse matters

Other (please specify)

To comment more on the Trans-Pennine Programme and Transport for the North, attend the Roundtable discussion with key stakeholders, on Wednesday 23 January 2019.

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* 9. What is the main local regulatory* issue facing your business?

Lack of consistency between regulators

Difficulty getting to speak/e-mail to the right person

Poor explanation of the rules or guidelines

Other (please specify)

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* 10. How would you most like to see regulators* help you to resolve this issue?

Be more visible and promote the ways in which they can support local business

Regulators to encourage new business to talk to them from the outset, so things can be done right first time

Work together so firms can be confident that the regulators are taking a rounded and consistent approach to their business

Provide training in regulatory matters such as food hygiene, health & safety, and fire safety for business, either online or face to face

Other (please specify)

*Local regulations include: Planning, trading standards, fire safety, licensing, food safety, health & safety, building control.

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* 11. How prepared do you feel your business is whatever the outcome of the Brexit deal/no deal?

Very prepared

Unprepared

Prepared

Very unprepared

Neither prepared or unprepared

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* 12. How knowledgeable/informed do you feel about the consequences of Brexit for your business?

Very informed

Uninformed

Informed

Very uninformed

Neither informed or uninformed

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* 13. UK and overseas markets
Excluding seasonal variations, over the past 3 months...

	Increased	Remained Constant	Decreased
UK sales/custom/bookings have...	UK sales/custom/bookings have... Increased	UK sales/custom/bookings have... Remained Constant	UK sales/custom/bookings have... Decreased
UK orders/advance custom/bookings have...	UK orders/advance custom/bookings have... Increased	UK orders/advance custom/bookings have... Remained Constant	UK orders/advance custom/bookings have... Decreased
*Overseas sales/custom/bookings have...	*Overseas sales/custom/bookings have... Increased	*Overseas sales/custom/bookings have... Remained Constant	*Overseas sales/custom/bookings have... Decreased
*Overseas orders/advance custom/bookings have...	*Overseas orders/advance custom/bookings have... Increased	*Overseas orders/advance custom/bookings have... Remained Constant	*Overseas orders/advance custom/bookings have... Decreased

*Only comment if your business exports.

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* 14. Labour Force

	Increased	Remained Constant	Decreased
Over the past 3 months, has your workforce...	Over the past 3 months, has your workforce... Increased	Over the past 3 months, has your workforce... Remained Constant	Over the past 3 months, has your workforce... Decreased
Over the next 3 months, do you expect your workforce to...	Over the next 3 months, do you expect your workforce to... Increased	Over the next 3 months, do you expect your workforce to... Remained Constant	Over the next 3 months, do you expect your workforce to... Decreased

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* 15. Recruitment

	Yes	No
Have you attempted to recruit staff over the past 3 months?	Have you attempted to recruit staff over the past 3 months? Yes	Have you attempted to recruit staff over the past 3 months? No

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* 16. If yes, were they for:

Part-time jobs

Full-time jobs

Temporary jobs

Permanent jobs

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* 17. Recruitment difficulties

	Yes	No
Did you experience any difficulties finding suitable staff?	Did you experience any difficulties finding suitable staff? Yes	Did you experience any difficulties finding suitable staff? No

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* 18. If yes, for which of the following categories of employee:

Skilled manual / technical

Professional / managerial

Clerical

Semi/unskilled

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* 19. Cash flow and investment

	Increased	Remained Constant	Decreased
Over the past 3 months, cash flow has...	Over the past 3 months, cash flow has... Increased	Over the past 3 months, cash flow has... Remained Constant	Over the past 3 months, cash flow has... Decreased
Over the past 3 months, investment plans for plant/machinery/equipment have...	Over the past 3 months, investment plans for plant/machinery/equipment have... Increased	Over the past 3 months, investment plans for plant/machinery/equipment have... Remained Constant	Over the past 3 months, investment plans for plant/machinery/equipment have... Decreased
Over the past 3 months, investment plans for training have...	Over the past 3 months, investment plans for training have... Increased	Over the past 3 months, investment plans for training have... Remained Constant	Over the past 3 months, investment plans for training have... Decreased

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* 20. Business Confidence

	Improve	Remain the same	Worsen
Over the next 12 months, do you believe turnover will...	Over the next 12 months, do you believe turnover will... Improve	Over the next 12 months, do you believe turnover will... Remain the same	Over the next 12 months, do you believe turnover will... Worsen
Over the next 12 months, do you believe profitability will...	Over the next 12 months, do you believe profitability will... Improve	Over the next 12 months, do you believe profitability will... Remain the same	Over the next 12 months, do you believe profitability will... Worsen

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* 21. Capacity

	Full capacity	Below capacity
Are you currently operating at...	Are you currently operating at... Full capacity	Are you currently operating at... Below capacity

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* 22. Prices/Costs

	Increase	Remain the Same	Decrease
Over the next 3 months, do you expect the price of your good/services to...	Over the next 3 months, do you expect the price of your good/services to... Increase	Over the next 3 months, do you expect the price of your good/services to... Remain the Same	Over the next 3 months, do you expect the price of your good/services to... Decrease

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* 23. Is your business currently suffering pressures to raise its prices from any of the following? (please tick all that apply)

Pay settlements

Raw material prices

Finance costs

Other overheads

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* 24. Please indicate which of these following factors are more of a concern to your business than 3 months ago (please tick all that apply)

Interest rates

Exchange rates

Business rates

Inflation

Competition

Taxation

Brexit

Other (please specify)

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* 25. Any further comments

Feel free to include additional comments (optional)

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* 1. Name of organisation (optional)

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* 2. Your name (optional)

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* 3. Email address (optional)

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* 4. Are you a member of Doncaster Chamber? (If you are not a Chamber member, where is your business located?)

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* 5. How many people does your organisation or branch employ?

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* 6. What is your main business activity?

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* 7. What would be the biggest impact of ‘better’ and ‘faster’ rail connections to the Manchester City Region for Doncaster? (For project details visit Transport for the North)

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* 8. Given the Peak District National Park and the difficulty of improving the road connections to Manchester, which option would most benefit Doncaster and your business? (For more project details visit Trans-Pennine Programme)

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* 9. What is the main local regulatory* issue facing your business?

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* 10. How would you most like to see regulators* help you to resolve this issue?

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* 11. How prepared do you feel your business is whatever the outcome of the Brexit deal/no deal?

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* 12. How knowledgeable/informed do you feel about the consequences of Brexit for your business?

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* 13. UK and overseas markets Excluding seasonal variations, over the past 3 months...

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* 14. Labour Force

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* 15. Recruitment

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* 16. If yes, were they for:

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* 17. Recruitment difficulties

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* 18. If yes, for which of the following categories of employee:

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* 19. Cash flow and investment

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* 20. Business Confidence

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* 21. Capacity

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* 22. Prices/Costs

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* 23. Is your business currently suffering pressures to raise its prices from any of the following? (please tick all that apply)

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* 24. Please indicate which of these following factors are more of a concern to your business than 3 months ago (please tick all that apply)

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* 25. Any further comments

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* 7. What would be the biggest impact of ‘better’ and ‘faster’ rail connections to the Manchester City Region for Doncaster?
(For project details visit Transport for the North)

* 8. Given the Peak District National Park and the difficulty of improving the road connections to Manchester, which option would most benefit Doncaster and your business?
(For more project details visit Trans-Pennine Programme)

* 13. UK and overseas markets
Excluding seasonal variations, over the past 3 months...