Pledge to Support Local Businesses in New Partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses
Hyndburn Council are pleased to announce that they have signed up to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), creating a working agreement that sees the Council commit to the FSB’s pledges that focus on supporting small businesses as part of an ongoing plan to support the local businesses of the Borough.
The Council have been liaising with FSB with a view to adopting the FSB’s local leadership pledge, with Cllr Zak Khan as Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and newly appointed Salma Chaudhry, Economic Development Manager, engaging with local businesses as a way of ensuring their ongoing success as a means of promoting economic prosperity for the whole borough.
Cllr Zak Khan, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Sustainability, said:
“Hyndburn as a borough is built upon such a rich history of local entrepreneurship and trades, a proud tradition that continues even today as a testament to local resilience and progress. I firmly believe that we can build upon this illustrious past for a brighter future, and this economic growth will be achieved through collaborative working and a commitment to outward thinking.
Small businesses are vital to local growth and there are many opportunities for us at the Council to work collaboratively with existing and new businesses in the area. By pledging ourselves to FSB, we are making a commitment to keep small and local businesses at the heart of our community, harnessing their power to grow our local economy. We want to help smaller businesses achieve their ambitions, and we can make that a reality by tapping into the wide range of vital business services offered by FSB, including advice, financial expertise, support, and a powerful voice heard in government.”
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) are a non-profit making, non-party political organisation that helps to connect small and medium-sized businesses with a community so that they can meet like-minded people at networking events and gives them a space for their voice to be heard. They have had huge influence on making change and influencing policy, most recently securing £940 million reduction in business rates for small firms; a freeze on the VAT threshold, as well as on fuel duty.
Claire Driver, Development Manager for Lancashire and Cumbria, Federation of Small Businesses:
“We know that small businesses provide the backbone of any economy, and local government has a major role to play in creating an environment that supports those businesses to grow, compete and thrive, creating jobs and local wealth. By signing the Local Leadership pledge, we’re sending out a clear message that the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and Hyndburn Council are working together to create a business-friendly environment shaped by the needs of SMEs. Cllr Khan’s own passion and experience as a business owner makes him a perfect Small Business Champion, and we look forward to joining him in ensuring the voice of the small business community in Hyndburn is heard loud and clear.”
To find out more about the ongoing economic transformation of Hyndburn, head to the Accrington Town Centre Investment (TCIP) page at: https://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/tcip/
Image: Rachel Kay, FSB Lancashire and Cumbria Volunteer Area Leader, Cllr Haworth (Leader), Claire Driver and Cllr Khan in Accrington