Business Link is far from dead yet claims area MD

As we covered a few weeks ago, Mark Prisk, the minister responsible for business announced that the  government is reviewing the delivery of that support as part of its commitment to replacing regional development agencies with Local Enterprise Partnerships from April 2012.

Peter Watson, managing director of Business Link Northwest, said until any new proposals are finalised, Business Link Northwest, and all other regional Business link offerings remain as the free and impartial business support service and will continue to offer the same level of support to business owners.

Business Link Northwest is continuing to deliver its core services with a reduced budget, having achieved significant operational savings.

Watson said: “We know there will be changes to the delivery of government business support and a white paper will be released in the autumn setting out the coalition’s proposals in more detail. Until such plans have been revealed and approved, we are very much open for business and have a wealth of expertise here waiting to help businesses get growing again.”

Watson added that the organisation’s telephone and face-to-face advisers continue to work with existing businesses with free and impartial advice still available for those looking to start their own business. The Business Link website also has information and ‘how to’ guides on a full-range of business issues, he added.

Business Link Northwest claim to have engaged with over 97,000 businesses via phone and through its website, and actively assisted almost 10,000 businesses through its health check and action plan service in the 12 months to March 31st 2010.