The roundtable took place on the anniversary of the Government's Small Business Plan, a timely reminder of the critical role SMEs play in powering the UK economy. It is estimated that a 1% increase in SME productivity could generate a £3 billion boost for the UK, making conversations about innovation, investment and business support more important than ever.

Business leaders from a range of sectors discussed how they are embracing new technologies, the barriers they face around skills and recruitment, and what support is needed to help more businesses adopt AI and digital tools successfully. While there was clear enthusiasm about the opportunities technology presents, there was equal recognition that productivity gains come from investing in people as well as technology.

For Buckinghamshire, the opportunity is particularly exciting. The county consistently performs strongly for both business survival and scale-up activity, and has the highest concentration of micro businesses (<10 employees) of all enterprise regions in England. With strengths spanning advanced manufacturing, technology, professional services and the creative industries, Buckinghamshire is well placed to play a significant role in driving future economic growth.

One of the strongest messages from the discussion was the importance of ensuring that policy reflects the realities faced by SMEs. From access to finance and digital skills to recruitment, cyber resilience and innovation, businesses shared practical insight into the issues shaping day-to-day decision making and long-term growth.

At BBF, we're proud to create opportunities for Buckinghamshire businesses to engage in conversations like these and to ensure their views are heard where decisions are being made. We'd like to thank Laura Kyrke-Smith MP and the No.10 team for facilitating such a constructive discussion and for recognising the value that local business insight brings to national policy conversations.

We look forward to building on these discussions and continuing to work with Government representatives to champion the needs, ambitions and successes of Buckinghamshire businesses.

Have something to say?

We're always looking for opportunities to bring the experiences of Buckinghamshire businesses into local and national conversations. If your business is facing challenges, identifying opportunities or has views on the support needed to grow, we'd love to hear from you. Your insight helps ensure that the voice of business continues to be heard where it matters most. Contact us at [email protected].