Opportunities to start and run a business
- We will create a new service which brings together various specialisms to advise people on how to start a high street business in our town centres. This could include advice with planning, regulations, and potential sources of funding, as well as access to training with marketing and sales, accounting and employment. As part of this programme, we will encourage new entrepreneurs in retail and hospitality to utilise pop-up business space in our markets. This will help people to try new ideas at low risk, whilst increasing the vibrancy of our markets.
- We will continue to develop the Let’s Talk Business website to make it easier for businesses to interact with the council, and to get support and advice.
- We will support progressive local businesses, including co-operatives, and social enterprises by delivering a programme to link investors to talented start-ups in key sectors of the economy, and for businesses that bring social, health and environmental benefits to residents. We will make space available in our Business Parks across the Borough to encourage these start-ups to take up office space on more flexible terms.
- We will make West Cheshire the best place in the UK for rural businesses by continuing to tackle specific difficulties around physical and digital connectivity. We will enhance local transport and continue to push for greater broadband and mobile phone coverage in rural areas, trialling new ways of getting communities online. We will implement planning policies that support the rural economy, and we will support businesses that are local to Cheshire’s Sandstone Ridge to benefit from it becoming an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
- We will protect the Cheshire pound by purchasing more goods and services from smaller, local businesses and social enterprises. We will also change our procurement processes to support smaller organisations to be in a position to bid for work, as well as developing specific events that support local businesses to make the most of procurement opportunities.
