The South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership – the government-created, business-led partnership between public and private sector charged with driving the region’s economic growth – is to restructure its Growing Business programme from January 1.
The move aims to improve the service to businesses as part of SEMLEP’s drive to create the best environment to start-up and grow a business.
- Pictured: SEMLEP’s growth hub manager Malcolm Johnson.
The Growing Business programme is one of three initiatives SEMLEP is operating to improve productivity, job creation and long-term sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
From next month, it will launch a single Growth Hub, merging its current Velocity and Northamptonshire Growth Hubs. The new service will be the go-to place for business support in the South East Midlands, offering a single entry point for enterprises looking for help and advice around innovation and growth.
The new operating model will ensure businesses have access to the very best support aligned with their needs. The new Growth Hub is also hoping to secure delivery of a new £5million European Regional Development Fund project, created to deliver enhanced funding and support for businesses with the potential for significant expansion in the immediate future.
Confirmation of this new project is expected early in the new year.
SEMLEP chief executive Hilary Chipping said: “It is vital that we regularly review the needs of businesses and align those with the support available from public and private sector organisations to ensure we continue to offer the very best assistance to enterprises looking to start, grow and innovate.”
Growth Hub manager Malcolm Johnson added: “We know from speaking with thousands of businesses each year how beneficial they find our business support services and how our Growth Hubs play a critical role in unlocking barriers to growth and innovation.
“This move enables us to enhance the support we are offering businesses, building on the fantastic work that has been done at Velocity and Northamptonshire Growth Hubs and taking this to the next level in partnership with public and private sector organisations.”
