loNDoN eDitioN WInTer 2016 LoCAL AuTHoRITY AWARdS And the winner is... Local councils and enterprise partnerships have been recognised for their support of small businesses Almost 99 per cent of businesses in the uK are small, yet account for only 10.5 per cent of direct central government procurement expenditure The Staffordshire and West Midlands region of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) recently held its fifth annual Small Business-Friendly Local Authority (LA) and Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Awards ceremony. The awards recognise and celebrate the great often unsung work delivered on behalf of FSB members, and other small businesses, by the 15 councils and three LEPs in the area. Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire leP won the LEP Recognition Award for its Regulatory Charter. This has been signed by 19 organisations including the FSB to create a regulatory environment that promotes success in business. The LEP believes good regulation is essential to protecting the public and the environment, as well as acting as an enabler for commercial growth. over the past year, more than 400 businesses many in the pre-start or early stages of their existence have called its Business Helpline with queries. Giving them an awareness of how trading standards and other regulators work encourages businesses to take advantage of support at an early stage and, so, trade compliantly. The LEPs Growth Hub advisers also offer firms in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire the chance to work with specialists from a range of disciplines, to develop and grow their business. Whether they are well-established or a start-up, getting the right support is crucial and businesses are encouraged to phone the Staffordshire Business Helpline to request the support of the Growth Hub advisers team. To date, it has engaged with more than 3,400 firms and made more than 5,200 referrals to business support organisations. There were joint winners of the Best Small Business-Friendly Procurement Policy: Walsall council, for its Social Value Charter, and Sandwell Metropolitan Borough council, for its Business Excellence Programme. These schemes are very much welcomed by the FSB on behalf of its members. Its research shows that almost 99 per cent of businesses in the uK are small, yet account for only 10.5 per cent of direct central government procurement expenditure. The federation applauds any measures that help to level the playing field. South Staffordshire councils Business Hub and Small Business Saturday event were recognised as the Best Small Business-Friendly Programme or Campaign, while city of Wolverhampton council took the accolade for Best All-Round Small Business Friendliness, for its Skills for Growth: Careers into Care programme This year, the FSB also presented a Collaborative Working award, which went to South Staffordshire council and cannock chase district council for The Good Life deals App. The joint project aimed to bolster high street spending and support local retailers. during the five years since the awards were instigated, the FSBs engagement with critical partners has gone from strength to strength cannock chase district council, dudley Metropolitan Borough council and Walsall council were all highly commended for their continued programmes of support for small businesses. The Black country lePs outstanding work around the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) City digital Platform also earned it a Highly Commended award. during the five years since the awards were instigated, the FSBs engagement with critical partners has gone from strength to strength despite local authorities having their budgets squeezed and resources diminished, and despite the move towards a West Midlands Combined Authority and the uncertainty caused by Brexit. The FSBs third-quarter Small Business Index the first major dataset on uK small business since the Eu referendum result on 23 June shows that small business confidence has fallen into negative territory for the first time since 2012. In the West Midlands, confidence has fallen from +34.6 in Q3 2015 to +3.1 in Q3 2016 the second-largest annual drop in confidence on record. More positively, there has been a boost in the number of small businesses increasing their headcount this quarter a reminder that high employment levels can be sustained and increased by supporting small businesses. The proportion of small firms looking to grow over the next 12 months has increased this quarter, to 55.3 per cent the highest figure since the end of 2015 while the share of those expecting to downsize, close or sell on has fallen this quarter, to 10.9per cent. Credit: Karen Woolley, of the Federation of Small Businesses Images: Feaspb /Shutterstock Again, this demonstrates that the support offered by FSB partners to its members and other small businesses has never been more crucial if businesses are not only to survive, but thrive. For further information please contact your local Trading Standards Service