Agenda item

Members were reminded that at their last meeting on 20 January 2010 discussion took place on the scope for this Committee’s second major review. Comments made by Members covered a wide ranging number of issues which could be linked into linked and overlapping areas namely:

·        Town Centres and their role in the local economy

·        The role of the Local Authority and

·        Business support to Small and Medium Enterprises

Officers informed Members that it would be difficult to do justice to such a wide-ranging review and Members were asked to consider narrowing the scope of their review to focussing on the impact of public funded business support and the success of new business start up in the Borough. Particular reference was made to micro businesses at Hayes Business Studios.

Hayes Business Studios, located on Uxbridge College Hayes Campus was built from funding secured from the London Development Agency and Hillingdon Community Trust. The Studios consisted of a £1m ten unit facility for new start up businesses, and was a great success story during these difficult economic times.

Members referred to the importance of engaging with Banks to help businesses and officers informed Members that the Business Studios had received support from the Nat West Bank.

It was hoped to replicate the Hayes Business Studios model on the RAF Uxbridge site.

Members were provided with background information on the different public sector business support schemes. Previously there had been some 3,000 different public sector business support schemes available, all with different eligibility criteria. Solutions for Business had streamlined these schemes into a core offer of 30 “products”.

The primary route to access business support within London was Business Link and this organisation would be helpful for the review.

Reference was made to Industrial Estates and it was agreed that the review would focus on this area at the second witness session. The Council did not have good links with the businesses on the estates and a review could look at how this could be improved. In addition the review could look at how larger organisations could help smaller businesses in terms of business to business support, the possibility of mentoring, creation of websites for industrial estates, business clubs etc.

Members agreed that the review should concentrate on the North Uxbridge Industrial area which was owned by Slough Estates. The site consisted of mixed sized businesses and there was an estimated employment figure of 2,196.    

Resolved-

1.      That the scoping report be amended to include reference to North Uxbridge Industrial Estate and how business to business support could be encouraged.

2.      That the next meeting of this Committee take place at Hayes Business Studios where Members of the Committee can meet with some of the businesses to hear of their experiences of business start ups.

3.      That the following witnesses be invited to the next meeting to enable Members to gather evidence as part of the review: Martin Blandy from Hayes Business Studios, Rob Grover, Business Link, a representative from Uxbridge College, representatives from businesses at the studio and a representative of the Nat West Bank link at the business studios.