Help for Uckfield businesses
Recession-beating plans put in place by local authorities are helping the Uckfield area weather the worst of the economic storm, writes Paul Watson.
Both the county and district councils have made big efforts in the last 12 months to prevent the economy of the area being shredded.
East Sussex County Council – along with other local authorities in the UK - has even considered establishing a bank to help support small and medium-sized businesses.
That’s likely to be a non-starter because legal opinion – taken by Birmingham City Council – suggests that it would not be legal for councils to set up a bank.
Different tack
However, here in East Sussex councillors have not been prepared to let the idea slip away and have adopted a different tack. They know many businesses come under severe pressures when they cannot get vital bank loans.
Leader of the county council, Cllr Peter Jones, told UckfieldNews.com they were working with the council’s commercial bank to set up a scheme to help firms get through these troubled times.
The council already has substantial deposits with the bank and the idea is that these could be increased in return for the bank increasing its lending capacity to firms in the county.
Cllr Jones said: “We are hoping we can conclude that fairly soon. We think it will have a positive impact. It is the best we can get.”
Risk
Obviously the council will be prudent in its investments with the bank to ensure its money is not put at any risk.
East Sussex has worked with Business Link and funded an additional 300 consultations for small and medium-sized firms. They get an appraisal of their business and the people who run it. “It will help them to manage their way through the recession,” Cllr Jones said.
The county council has also created a ‘Recession Task Force’ to share key information and coordinate work between different organisations, and provide practical support for ideas from a wide range of sources.
It includes representatives from the district and borough councils, Job Centre Plus, major employers such as the NHS, business support bodies such as Business Link and the council’s Trading Standards, and representatives from the voluntary and community sector, such as the Citizens' Advice Bureau.
Payment of invoices
The council has also speeded up the payment of invoices, buys locally where it can and is making it easier for firms to do business with the council, and to find grants and funding.
Cllr Jones added: “We want to help our residents and businesses to help themselves through the recession. We have limited resources but, together with our partners, we hope we can make a positive difference and that the area is better placed to emerge in a stronger position at the end of the recession.”
The Leader of Wealden District Council, Cllr Pam Doodes, is also keen to ensure the council does what it can to ensure the business bedrock of the district survives.
Through its website a mine of information can be accessed, covering a huge variety of topics, including business rates, training courses, doing business with the council, business support and planning.
Information
Wealden has described itself as a one-stop “shop” for business help and advice. Cllr Doodes said: “The website is kept up to date and we want businesses to be aware that new information will be available to them. It is a realy good communications tool.”
Cllr Doodes said the council did not want to duplicate expert help and advice that was available from other sources but wanted to provide a point of contact for firms that need help. She pointed out that the vast majority of firms in this area employ but a handful of people.
Much of Wealden Council's work is done quietly and confidentially and is highly valued by those taking advantage of the services offered.
Wealden is also a regulatory authority and prides itself on the relationships it has built with firms over the years. Those relationships enable it to fulfill its obligations towards public safety – especially in the food sector – but still have a “light” regulatory touch.
Shop local
The council has also worked hard to promote the Shop Local message and to try and ensure the impact of empty shops on high streets is minimised.
“We have tried to improve windows so they don’t look filthy and have leaflets and post on the floor,” she said.
More news from Uckfield area businesses:
* Read about Uckfield High Street in our Personal Shopper column
* The Award for the Most Sustainable Business at the Sussex Business Awards went to Uckfield-based Pureprint Group.
* Mark Froud, the Chief Executive of Sussex Enterprise has been invited to join the Board of Directors at The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The BCC is a non-political, non-profit making organisation based in London that works with the Government to improve the business environment for British industry.
* Growing company moves offices
* MP opens energy centre at Blackboys
* Consultant helps Co-op save more than £100,000
(Added to site Tuesday, December 1st, 2009)
