Burnley Council partners with Boost to provide new funded support to borough’s businesses

Businesses in Burnley and Padiham can access a range of new funded business support services after Burnley Council announced a partnership with Boost; Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub.

The new partnership has been created after Burnley Council agreed to invest almost £285,000 into Boost through its UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) allocation. UKSPF is part of the Levelling Up agenda and succession to EU structural funds.

Business owners and leaders looking to start, grow and scale a business can access six core services through the new Boost partnership. They include:

· Business Support Helpdesk: Offers advice and guidance on available local, national and sector business support

· Business Advice Service: Matches a business with an adviser and includes a business review, a business support action plan, business clinics and regular updates

· Growth Catalyst: Helps established businesses ready to take their business to the next level

· Scale to Thrive: An exclusive service for businesses over £1 million turnover looking to scale 20% year-on-year

· Flying Start: Helps people start a new business or grow a young business

· Access to Finance: Assists businesses find and secure the finance and funding they need.

Boost also provides an online directory of all funded business support available in Lancashire, as well as an event directory, a knowledge hub and information about private sector business support.

Boost has supported more than 14,000 businesses since its launch in 2013, creating over 3,500 jobs. The Growth Hub is aiming to support over 1,000 more than businesses, in addition to helping 125 new businesses start and create more than 1,000 new jobs.

Burnley Council’s executive member for economy and growth, Councillor Mark Townsend, said: “"This is great news for our borough. The funding will create jobs, safeguard existing posts, and give local businesses a major boost.

‘’It will help existing businesses to become more productive, open up new markets, and explore the latest technologies, and to support entrepreneurs to establish and grow new businesses, all of which can only be good news for growing our local economy."

County Councillor Aidy Riggott, Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for economic development and growth, said: “It’s been ten years of impact for Boost and we are firmly setting the dial towards the future with a comprehensive range of services to help more entrepreneurs and leaders start, grow and thrive, especially those that have not received support from Boost.

“We understand that our local Lancashire economies are unique and this new partnership will help us provide a tailored business support solution to local businesses and the people that run them.”

The Boost business support services will be delivered by a number of specialist local and national business support organisations including Growth Lancashire, Selnet and the Growth Company, with Lancashire County Council delivering the Access to Finance service.

Andrew Leeming, programme manager of Boost, added: “This is a powerful and exciting new Growth Hub partnership which includes a highly experienced team of business advisers who will be delivering advice and support on the ground to help local business owners and leaders solve problems, improve their business and achieve their goals.”

If you want to find out what support is available and to check eligibility criteria, contact the Boost Business Support Helpdesk on 0800 488 0057 or visit the Boost website at www.boostbusinesslancashire.co,uk

Note to the editor: About Boost: Led by Lancashire County Council, supported by Government and ten local authorities, Boost is Lancashire's Business Growth Hub, one of 37 Growth Hubs in the UK. Boost’s mission is to help Lancashire businesses thrive. Since 2013, Boost has supported over 14,000 businesses, helping create 3,500 jobs while adding £100m to the local economy.

Boost is funded by Lancashire County Council, Department for Business & Trade (DBT), and UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) with contributions from 10 Lancashire local authorities: Blackburn with Darwen Council, Burnley Council, Chorley Council, Fylde Council, Hyndburn Borough Council, Pendle Borough Council, Preston City Council, South Ribble Borough Council, West Lancashire Borough Council and Wyre Council.

The Growth Hubs across England are designed to provide local businesses of any size or sector with access to advice and support via an impartial, funded, single point of contact. They bring together national and local support from across the public and private sectors to help businesses find the right support for their needs, at the right time, at any stage of the business journey.