Pictured above: (top to bottom): Larry Coltman (south Warwickshire branch chair of the Chamber), Sophie Howe (mid-Warwickshire branch chair of the Chamber), Louise Bennett (chief executive of the Chamber), Jenny Hooper (northern Warwickshire branch chair of the Chamber), Doug Squires (Chamber president)

Business leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire have published a General Election 'manifesto' calling on political parties to put rebuilding the UK economy at the top of their agenda.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce polled members at the tail-end of 2009 to find out their views on the forthcoming General Election. 

From that research, the Chamber has published its own document that, alongside a national manifesto from the British Chambers of Commerce, will be sent to local Parliamentary candidates.

And while the date of the election is yet to be announced, Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said it was important that the views of business were firmly taken into account by all parties.

She said: "This year's General Election will be the most important for decades and it is crucial that all the parties understand the difficulties facing business and industry - and the things they can do to help.

"New jobs and wealth are not going to be driven by the public sector in the next Parliamentary term, so they will have to come from the private sector - that's a fact that should be at the forefront of a new Government's policies.

"Our role is not to be partisan but to represent the needs of local businesses which have just had to withstand the longest recession on record.

"The overwhelming response is that they want to be given the freedom to run their businesses and create jobs, and not be faced with the burdens of increased tax and red tape.

"Our recommendations stretch from reducing fuel duty and regulations to scrapping the proposed increase in National Insurance, which is effectively a tax on jobs.

"Ensuring banks lend to sound businesses is also high on the agenda as is maintaining support for companies who export - a key driver for growth of the next few years."

The Chamber will also contact Parliamentary candidates ahead of the Election to hold local events through the Chamber's branch network to give businesses the chance to speak to them direct.

A range of local issues have also been raised in the manifesto, such as the development of a station at the Ricoh Arena to coincide with a joined-up rail service from north to south Warwickshire.

Bennett added: "As a Chamber, we will continue to put forward the views of our members and keep a strong and open dialogue with all of our local MPs.

"Whichever party comes to power, it is vital that we can ensure Coventry and Warwickshire is strongly represented in Westminster."