Welsh companies are calling for investment in infrastructure and skills to show that Wales is ‘open for business’, as well as providing support to deal with the predicted slowdown in 2017.

According to the president of South and Mid-Wales Chambers of Commerce, firms are “expecting turbulence” this year; Liz Maher cited recent reports by the Office of Budget Responsibility and the British Chambers of Commerce predicting a slowdown this year.

Calling for support to help Welsh businesses “to cope with 2017”, she said: “Our members have told us that the delivery of infrastructure projects such as the M4 relief road and the South Wales Metro is top of their wish list.

“A decision to build the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon will also send out the message that Wales is preparing for the future.”

Ms Maher added that the education system in Wales is “probably more important than anything else. A consistent theme of our Welsh Business Barometer report in 2016 was the high proportion of businesses that find difficulty in recruiting the right staff.

“Although the development of a new school curriculum and plans for future skills needs are underway, efforts must be re-doubled during 2017, or we risk a whole generation of Welsh workers lagging behind their counterparts in other countries, which will hinder economic growth here for the next 50 years.

“It is time to get some stability into the Welsh economy, so that businesses here can plan and build for the future.”