AUTUMN 2019 FSB BUSINESS- FRIENDLY AWARDS COMMERCIAL REWARDS Credit: Karen Woolley, FSB development manager Stafford Borough Council was named the most business- friendly local authority in the 8th regional FSB awards Council-run projects that benefit members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and other small firms were recognised at the FSB Local Authority Small Business Friendly Awards in July. The 8th edition of the event was held during the FSB’s Staffordshire & West Midlands Stakeholder Engagement and Local Authority Awards lunch, held at Hilton Hall, Wolverhampton. Small Business Commissioner Paul Uppal gave the keynote speech on late payments, and the event was attended by MPs, as well as officials from the Department for International Trade. Winners and sponsors of the 2019 FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards were also there, as were local authority leaders and representatives of Chambers of Commerce from across Staffordshire, Birmingham and the Black Country. The 2019 Local Authority Small Business Friendly Awards went to: Best Procurement Policy: Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council For its work in supporting firms to be ‘bid ready’ to enter the supply chain and its cluster culture, bringing together several small businesses to bid for, and win, larger contracts. Highly commended: Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council For its measures to engage with small local firms in its own buying practices. Best Programme or Campaign: City of Wolverhampton Council For its proactive approach to partnering with eBay on its Retail Revival Programme, which encourages retailers to offer exclusive support to small retailers who want to start up or expand their online presence. This has produced dramatic results for those retailers who took part in the programme. Joint highly commended: Lichfield District Council and Tamworth Borough Council For their Start-up Loan Schemes that help new businesses get out of the starting blocks. Best All-round Small Business Friendliness: Stafford Borough Council For its suite of support for firms across the borough, specifically targeting initiatives to increase footfall to the town centre. For further information, please contact the Federation of Small Businesses Best Procurement Policy: Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council For its work in supporting firms to be ‘bid ready’ to enter the supply chain and its cluster culture, bringing together several small businesses to bid for, and win, larger contracts. (from left): David Caro, FSB area lead, Cllr Danny Millard and Nicy Morgan, Sandwell Council, and Ian Preston, FSB area lead For further information, please contact the Federation of Small Businesses Highly commended: Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council For its measures to engage with small local firms in its own buying practices. (from left): David Caro, FSB, Mike Folkard and Rose Younger, Dudley MBC, and Ian Preston, FSB For further information, please contact the Federation of Small Businesses Best Programme or Campaign: City of Wolverhampton Council For its proactive approach to partnering with eBay on its Retail Revival Programme, which encourages retailers to offer exclusive support to small retailers who want to start up or expand their online presence. This has produced dramatic results for those retailers who took part in the programme. (from left): Ian Preston (FSB), Jay Patel and Glenn Watts (Wolverhampton Council), and David Caro (FSB) For further information, please contact the Federation of Small Businesses Joint highly commended: Lichfield District Council and Tamworth Borough Council For their Start-up Loan Schemes that help new businesses get out of the starting blocks. (from left): Ian Preston, FSB, Lorraine Farley, Tamworth BC, and David Caro, FSB. Lichfield DC did not attend For further information, please contact the Federation of Small Businesses Best All-round Small Business Friendliness: Stafford Borough Council For its suite of support for firms across the borough, specifically targeting initiatives to increase footfall to the town centre. (from left): David Caro, FSB, Robert Gattensbury, Stafford BC, and Ian Preston, FSB For further information, please contact the Federation of Small Businesses
