Wednesday 17/03/2010
Want to know what businesses are saying...
The FSB - ICM "Voice of Small Business" report is the most extensive survey of the small business sector during the recessions. Find out more about the survey and read the final report.
The South East findings are now available detailing the ups and downs of the small business sector over the last 12 months. Based on responses from over 1500 business owners in the South East the results form a comprehensive picture of the state of the small business community. In addtion to the South East findings, the results have also been broken down into individual county presentations. Check out the results for your county:
Most Small Business Friendly Award goes to.......
Chichester District Council are the winners of the FSB South East Small Business Friendly Council award.
During 2009, the FSB invited local authorities to take part in the Small Business Friendly Awards scheme. Its purpose was to highlight examples of best practice being employed by councils in support of small businesses and local economic development.
Presenting the award, Roger House,FSB, SEPU Chairman
|
Roger House, Cllr Myles Cullen,
Leader of Chichester District
Council and Paul Formstone,
Regional Chairman |
said:
"The awards are designed to recognise and reward projects that demonstrate innovation and excellence in supporting small businesses. Chichester District Council clearly demonstrates both these qualities in the range of projects they put forward.
"They are a shining example of what support can be given to small businesses through innovative ideas, effective leadership, excellent partnership working and a genuine understanding of the needs of the small business community."
To learn about the projects that won Chichester District Council the award check out the press release.
Having trouble accessing finance from banks, or have the banks made alterations to the terms/conditions of any existing business loan or overdrafts. If so then email andrew.barter@fsb.org.uk to give us your case study.
The FSB has successfully established a South East Businesss Crime Forum which brings together business support organisations and police forces to address crime against business issues within the region.
Chaired by Andrew Barter, FSB South East Policy Manager, the forum has four key objectives:
- To build better links between businesses and Police Forces.
- To build better links between businesses and Local Strategic Partnerships, Crime and Disorder Partnerships and other key stakeholders.
- Identify and share best practice in relation to crime against business.
- Examine opportunitiesfor linking into current crime reduction work, such as that on anti-social behaviour, Priority and Prolific Offenders, Acquisitive Crime and drug related crime, so that work benefits business as well as other elements of the community.
The forum will shortly be launching a website to promote is work to the business community within the South East.
Small Businesses in Public Procurement Events
SEPU recently welcomed over 150 delegates to two events aimed at promoting small business engagement in bidding for public sector contracts. As part of the events SEPU produced video case studies looking at examples of best practice in public sector procurement.
Small Business Case Study Video
Local Authority Case Study Video
Download the PowerPoint presentations:
Business Engagement Accord Campaign News
|
Chichester District Council are
the lastest to sign up to the
Accord |
FSB branches from across England are now writing to their local council to invite them to sign up to the Business Engagement Accord.
The Accord was developed by SEPU for use in the South East, but local councils across England are now being asked to sign up to this voluntary code of practice.
The purpose of the accord is to encourage a more productive and practical dialogue with small firms. Councils are being asked to sign up 14 key principles, which if followed, will help to improve the level of participation by local businesses in consultations and local democracy.
We welcome the following Councils who have signed up to the Accord since July: Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council,Chichester District Council, Chiltern District Council, Eastleigh Borough Council, Hart District Council, Shepway District Council Southampton City Council, Test Valley Borough Council, Waverley Borough Council and Winchester Borough Council. The next Councils to sign-up to the Accord will be Havant Borough Council (18 Nov) and Aylesbury Vale District Council (26 Nov).
We now have thirty one local authorities signed up to the Accord, which equates to 42 per cent of the Councils in the South East. The next milestone in the campaign is to reach the 50 per cent marker. To see if your council has signed up download our Accord monitoring report.
______________________________________________________________________
What's happening in the South East?
If you would like to learn more about the activities of the FSB in the South East of England check out the links below to the homepages of the five FSB regions: