North Lincolnshire Council pledges ongoing commitment to small businesses

9.20.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 11th Jun 2009

Clllr Neil Poole and Cllr Mark Kirk signing the Small Business Engagement Accord

To recognise the vital role played by small businesses in the area, North Lincolnshire Council has committed to a Small Business Engagement Accord.

In doing so, it has become the first council in the Lincolnshire region to commit itself to working closer and more productively with small businesses in North Lincolnshire.

At the council's Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 10 June, the council signed up to the accord with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The accord will not only demonstrate the council's confidence in the FSB, but also its commitment to maintaining genuine two-way engagement with small businesses. It will also send out a powerful message of the benefits of partnership working.

Despite the current economic downturn, small businesses are playing a vital role in providing jobs, investment in the area, and protecting the economic vitality of our local economy. The Small Business Engagement Accord will pledge the council to 14 principles. These principles require cabinet members and service directors of the council to take responsibility for the 14 principles.

Cllr Neil Poole, chair of the Federation of Small Businesses said:

"The Federation of Small Businesses welcomes North Lincolnshire Councils decision to sign up to the Small Business Engagement Accord. Partnership working is the key to developing our local economy to its full potential."

Cllr Mark Kirk, Leader of the council said:

"The council works very closely with the Federation of Small Businesses and we value the strong relationship and trust that we have built up. The council does have a good track record of engaging local businesses, through our Economic Development Board and the North Lincolnshire Business Forum, but we want to do even more. In today's competitive environment we need to pull together to ensure North Lincolnshire remains an attractive place for investment and jobs. And that's just what we want to achieve by being the first council in the region to sign up to the Small Business Engagement Accord."

More information:

The Federation of Small Business was formed in 1974. It has 215,000 members in 33 regions and 230 branches.

Over the last 18 months the council has worked closely with the FSB on the Humber Bridge Tolls campaign and has consulted with the organisation on a regular basis.