Business leaders are being encouraged to make the most of the wealth of expert professional advice on their doorsteps in a new initiative by the York, North Yorkshire, and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership.
Recognising that times have changed and that a free business advice service provided by Business Link is no longer available, the LEP is putting in place a revised approach, which aims to draw on the potential for private sector professionals to support business growth.
Barry Dodd, the Partnership Chairman, said:
Despite the demise of Business Link it would be wrong to say there is no help out there for growing businesses. There is a wealth of help and support available.
Our job at the LEP is to help make the most of this to promote economic growth, which is why we have started the discussion with several of the professional Chartered Institutes about how we can enable greater access to their members knowledge.
The LEP is keen to make the most of unrealised potential for economic growth which can be tapped with the aid of professional advice.
Barry Dodd added:
Yes, much free business support has disappeared, ut companies, particularly micro businesses and the smaller SME’s, need to view professional support as an investment that will yield returns, not a cost to their business.
This approach builds on earlier LEP work to reach out to the many business networks and build relationships with them. These networks will now be partnered with the Chartered Institutes to organise events at which professional members can share their understanding of their subject.
LEP Board Member Shaun Watts said:
We’re looking to develop long term sustainability and resilience in our business community.
Working in this way will create a series of virtuous cycles. Individual businesses will benefit from forming long term relationships with professional service providers, who can help them realise additional growth, which will in turn drive demand for goods and services from other businesses.
Furthermore the LEP will help the business networks provide some added value for their members, thereby improving membership and business networking. This is not a quick win solution, it’s a long term solution that will lead to sustainable, incremental growth.
The York, North Yorkshire and East Riding LEP are also in discussion with Tees Valley Unlimited LEP, about shared agendas and collaboration opportunities.
For information about business events, business networks and a range of business support, visit the LEP website www.businessinspiredgrowth.com The offers from the Chartered Institutes will go live in the coming weeks.
