Lambeth Regeneration & Enterprise

Lambeth ‘Open for business’ – How the new Administration is creating an enterprise culture to benefit the borough.

The new Labour administration in Lambeth has quite clearly made its commitment to enterprise as a top priority.

In previous years the Council has been slow off the mark in recognising the advantages that economic regeneration will bring to the Borough. The new administration is unequivocal about the duty to support the business community in the Borough, however also keenly aware that it is in our interest to develop new businesses, attract established businesses, expand future industries and use this investment to create and share wealth within the borough, improving training and job opportunities for the residents of Lambeth in the process.

Already we can point to successes within the enterprise field and also the way in which this administration is working across departments and portfolio’s to achieve a joined up approach to enterprise.

We have recently signed up to the Small business Friendly Concordat, from the Department for Trade & Industry, which outlines our responsibilities toward helping smaller businesses to grow and flourish.

We have put together a comprehensive service guide for businesses so that they know what we can do to help them realise their potential and how to practically access their Council.

In Community safety we have been awarded a Safer Business Award and have been supporting Lambeth Business Against Crime to introduce the radiolink and safer socialising initiatives, designed for business to protect their workers, identify and tackle persistent offenders and bring business together through a support forum.

In autumn we will be piloting a business desk in the central call centre so that existing businesses have a further channel to seek advice and information, also open to residents who may wish to investigate the possibility of setting a business up or being put in touch with their local business forums.

We are also been piloting an innovative project which is taking place in under ten other places nationally – The Business Improvement District at Waterloo/Lower Marsh. Although in its early days we will ensure Group is kept updated as to the developments, with an aim to rolling this out in other town centres depending on their existing or proposed structures.

All of these items and others which are in train have been included in our Bid for Local Growth and enterprise Initiative which could see Lambeth rewarded to the tune of £30million over the next ten years.

Also in the advanced stages of planning are business events in Streatham, Brixton and the north of the Borough to bring together local businesses, chambers of commerce, the council, the Police, the Local Education Authority and other stakeholders all with an interest in making the most of the talent, energy and vibrancy we have in the Borough.

These forums to work out a way forward to suit their areas, demographics and potential will be feeding into a major launch in February of next year, a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event designed to show businesses how to tender for Council contracts and provide services, and to help more generally with training on capacity and procurement.

As you can see from these headlines of activity we are running full stream ahead with this agenda. Watch this space.