27/11/12

LEPs can use better regulation to encourage growth

The UK’s 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships now hold effective new tools to encourage economic growth by making local regulation work better for their business communities.

Path-finding work undertaken by Leicester and Leicestershire LEPs and Greater Birmingham & Solihull has led to the creation and development of Better Business for All, a branded suite of tools that we hope will be taken up nationally.

Better Business for All is based on consultations with SMES who identified areas that regulators should target to build trust and provide businesses with straightforward access to advice.

The differing approaches reflect local needs but there appear to be common threads; for instance, businesses in both pathfinder areas wanted a single point of contact for all regulatory matters.

In Leicestershire they developed a single phone number, web portal and a comprehensive advice pack for start-up businesses covering all the key areas of regulation they are likely to encounter.

The GB&SLEP Talk to Reg web portal (www.talktoreg.co.uk) is ready to be used anywhere in the UK, enabling businesses to enter their postcode to find who their relevant authorities are, who to talk to and how to contact them. I’d recommend LEPs urge their regulators to ensure their details are on there.

Other ideas include tailored advice and approach from regulators to match the business lifecycle; and in Regulation Made Simple, they have provided a straightforward explanation of the ‘who, why and what’ of regulation for business.

The Better Business for All tool kit has earned the backing of business and regulators alike, across the board.

Chief Executive of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group, Jerry Blackett, says:

 “The relationship between business and regulators is crucial to growth, and the work of the pathfinder LEPs has demonstrated that it is possible to make significant improvements using simple, innovative tools. Tools and templates developed under the Better Business for All brand are available for anyone to use, and I would urge LEPs to consider putting them at the heart of their work. This is a real opportunity to transform the relationship between business and local regulators into a partnership that encourages business confidence and growth, and so benefits their communities through more jobs and greater prosperity." 
 
Maxine Aldred, Regional Development Manager for the FSB, says:

“Working together to reduce the burden of regulation is crucial in supporting small businesses to thrive and grow. BBfA encourages and gives small businesses the confidence to become and remain compliant which in turn could lead to a more successful business. As an early step on the long and rocky road to reducing red tape and regulation, we firmly believe BBfA is an excellent example of what can be done.”

And, finally, from the regulators David Bull, Head of Regulatory Services at Leicestershire County Council, says:

 “Better Business for All has facilitated a mutual understanding of each party's raison d'être unlike anything, in my experience, that has previously been attempted. It means businesses can prosper more so than they would otherwise have done without this partnership and regulators have more time and resources to tackle those who are unwilling to use the advice and guidance we want to provide.”

We now have tools to make a real difference to the way regulation is delivered, and I’m sure more will be developed by other LEPs as local solutions are developed to meet local issues.

Given the support from business and regulators shown so far, Better Business for All is a pretty good start.

BBfA tools and information are freely available from the Better Regulation Delivery Office website at www.bis.gov.uk/brdo/business/leps/bbfa-resources

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