The lengths councils go to support small businesses have been recognised at an awards lunch.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) held its first Leicestershire and Rutland Local Authority Small Business Friendly Awards, during a lunchtime event at the Marriott Hotel, in Grove Park, Leicester.
Guests included FSB volunteers and staff, senior council offices, political leaders and senior local government staff, along with representatives of the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, universities, cabinet Office and Department for International Trade.
Charnwood Borough Council won an award for a new business coaching project, run by its food safety team.
The team helps start-ups meet the requirements necessary for gaining the highest possible hygiene ratings.
Leicester City Council won an award for its retail area improvement scheme which has seen shutters painted with historical local images, shop fronts renovated and whole streets painted.
North West Leicestershire District Council meanwhile won an award for its business focus team, who answer local business inquiries and provide grant funding from a pot of £250,000 to support start-ups and help established businesses grow, relocate or win new contracts.
The team also arranges regular job fairs and pay for expert training and support in areas such as retail, e-commerce, rural affairs and helping women in business.
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North West Leicestershire District Council business regeneration spokesman Coun Tony Gillard, said: Congratulations to the team.
“Our team offers a huge range of business support in a growing and demanding district, with enterprises ranging from small start-ups to huge international companies.
“The one-to-one support we provide, as well as the grant schemes and training packages, all work to ensure we have a thriving district for business. Finally, Rutland County Council got a special commendation for the King Centre near Oakham, a former college which has been turned into a business centre.”
At the start of the ceremony FSB East Midlands regional chair Les Phillimore, who is also a Conservative district councillor for Blaby, acknowledged the difficult financial conditions councils are working under due to cuts imposed by the central Government.
He said despite that the standard of entries had been extremely high.
Jennifer Thomas, development manager for the FSB in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland, said: “There are some great initiatives happening across the Leicestershire and Rutland which really help to level the playing field for smaller firms, and this support is vital to our local small businesses – we thank all of these authorities for their work on these projects.”
Newly elected FSB area leaders Jenny Cross of Cross Productions and Clare Elsby of accountants Elsby & Co presented the awards.
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Ms Cross, who runs a marketing and communications business, said: “We were delighted to be able to highlight and share all of this good work and to present these awards to those activities which the FSB judges felt were the most ‘small business friendly’.
“This event is all about sharing ideas and best practice, for the good of our local small business community.
“If some of these examples of best practice can be rolled out in other districts, or if some of our members hear about an initiative they could take advantage of, then the event has done its job.
“We’re already looking forward to next year’s event!”