02/07/12

Leeds City Region LEP launches online Business and Investment Portal

Leeds City Region LEP has today launched a free online tool to help businesses find the resources they need to grow and develop

The LEP has developed its Business and Investment Portal in response to feedback from businesses on the difficulties of finding information about free local business support. The Portal has been produced primarily to help SMEs, and provides comprehensive information and signposting on topics such as international trade, recruiting and training staff, obtaining finance and public sector contracts.

It also provides a resource to market the City Region as a business location, supporting the LEP's ambitions of attracting more investment into the region, and a tool to communicate more effectively with businesses on the LEP’s activities.

Chair of the Leeds City Region LEP, Neil McLean, commented:

“Every time we talk to businesses – especially SMEs – about business support, they tell us how difficult it is to find information about local support provision. With this new online tool, the LEP has taken steps to fill this gap and provide information on a whole range of business support in one place. We will be doing further work to develop the portal, and would very much welcome feedback from businesses in the City Region on how we can make it even more useful for them.”

Eric Hawthorn, Managing Director of Radio Design – an award-winning electronics manufacturer, based in Shipley – and a member of the LEP’s Business Innovation and Growth Panel, added:

“For smaller businesses and start-ups, external support can make a real difference to survival and future success. This new portal will be the ideal starting point for anyone looking to develop or grow a business in the Leeds City Region. I certainly wish this kind of tool had been available when I started my business five years ago.”

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