The expected backing for a merger between Bradford Chamber of Commerce and its counterparts covering Leeds, York and North Yorkshire was duly given by members at recent extraordinary meetings.

But no one should expect to see any radical change on the ground.

While the merger has created a new umbrella body, the West & North Yorkshire Chamber, it is very much business as usual in the Little Germany offices of the Bradford Chamber.

The name will remain; it will keep its own president and policy bodies while maintaining a varied programme of events and services – as will the other chambers in the new union.

The West & North Yorkshire Chamber has a board, including several representatives from Bradford, and is headed by Bradford Chamber’s chief executive Sandy Needham.

The purpose of the merger was not to sweep away the existing organisations but to gain extra clout for the business voice across the three areas.

The creation of the UK’s fifth-largest chamber of commerce representing firms across a wider area is a recognition that, at least when it comes to squeezing brass out of central government, you need to have a bigger voice.

Ministers increasingly prefer to deal with regional bodies – or at least those based on the new ‘city regions’ such as Leeds, which incorporates areas served by 12 local authorities, including Bradford Council.

So, business leaders will wear the West & North Yorkshire hat when lobbying for resources or policy decisions which have an impact on more than just Bradford, Leeds or York.

The individual chambers will continue their work at a local level.

A good example of why the merger came about was provided by Bradford president Paul Mackie, who cited the failure of last year's Chamber-led bid to win around £10 million from the Employer Ownership of Skills Fund for local talent academies to develop skills.

Hopefully, when it comes to boosting the Bradford economy, the new chamber structure will produce positive results.