Enterprise and Business Support
We’ve been working with several rural estates in the region to explore a new approach to the regeneration of rural areas.
The North East Rural Estates Framework brought together the plans of estates, their owners, advisers and communities with business broker services and public sector organisations, helping estates to drive economic growth in rural communities. The idea was to improve the mutual understanding of the challenges facing rural communities and the public sector, and help find ways to deal with them.
The pilot has been a great success. We have built the resulting toolkit into the support on offer to rural areas from Business Link North East, a step which will enable the roll-out of our work with estates within a Rural Business Support Mainstreaming project delivered by Business Link.
Two new Account Managers will work with estates, land-based businesses, rural market town groups and development trusts to improve their awareness of mainstream business support and help them grow.
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) is putting together an evidence base to inform regional and national policy makers, both on the state of rural estates and their communities, and developing trends. The CLA is also working with us to develop an ongoing role for a network of estates set up during the pilot, so they can share their experiences with others and feedback industry issues to help shape ongoing support.
Rural Enterprise
Increasing the number of new businesses in the North East and developing a more enterprising culture are key to achieving the challenging targets set out in the Regional Economic Strategy.
This is particularly relevant for rural communities, as they seek to diversify their economies and provide services close to home.
A rural enterprise pilot is currently running in Tynedale, to encourage local people to identify their talents and start their own enterprises.
Existing businesses in the community are at the heart of the pilot - giving new entrepreneurs advice and expertise, and making sure they can access the support they need.
The project – based on the approach pioneered by the famous Ernesto Sirolli, in which communities work to improve their economies from within – is looking at:
- How people in rural areas access support to develop ideas and businesses;
- How to involve local SME’s in realising the economic benefits of cultural, natural and heritage assets in the countryside;
- Transferring development know-how to local communities.
This is the first project of its kind in the region, and the results will inform work in other rural communities elsewhere in the North East in future.
Useful links
www.businesslinknortheast.co.uk
www.cla.org.uk
www.sirolli.com
Foot and Mouth Disease and Bluetongue
Businesses in North East England hit by the restrictions caused by Foot and Mouth Disease and Bluetongue are being offered a route to specialist support through Business Link North East.
Firms affected by the restrictions can call 0845 600 9 006 to speak to specially trained Business Link Relationship Managers, who will offer a direct link to business advice for the livestock sector in the region and put farms and other companies in touch with the most up to date business information.
In addition, One NorthEast funding is being ring-fenced via the North East England Investment Centre to offer essential, professional support services to affected businesses. This can be accessed through expert brokers at Business Link.
Click here for more information from Business Link.
Click here for the latest disease information from DEFRA.
