locally sourced assistance
Making the case that re-branding of SME
services is a cosmetic exercise
“Advice should come from people with expe- which have to be taken. “Local businesses
rience so the current model of having selected need to be encouraged by enterprise agencies
civil servants advising people how to set up and that are accessible and act as a gateway to
run small firms is flawed. While their integrity is marketplace for a range of services that can be
not in question, they lack the first hand knowl- tailored to the needs of individual companies.”
edge of operating in that environment. This emphasis on demand-driven services
“The micro end of the business spectrum is is worth exploring. Local enterprise agencies
not understood by civil servants as they have provided a good model for delivering those
never worked in that field. While there are services as they were much closer to the types
many similarities between corporates and gov- of business where the entrepreneurs operate.
ernment departments, small businesses are “Once these services are specified by the
generally flat organisations with a culture that ‘customer’ rather than imposed upon them, we
is unfamiliar to the people in Whitehall.” would see much greater tailoring of the ad-
vice and support.
Local assistance and advice
“If someone needs detailed training in a
number of IT services but specifically does
According to the Opposition spokesman, there not need to understand databases, for exam-
has to be a greater emphasis on locally- ple, then that is what would be provided.”
sourced advice and support driven by the de-
clared needs of the business community than
what the Department’s officials believe is right
Limited charges for some services
for them. While the information services envisaged by
The shift away from local services to the Conservatives would be free at the point of
regionalisation under the present regime, he delivery, charges could be expected for the
believes, has deprived local agencies of much more specialised advice and support, prob-
of the funding and many of the initiatives ably on a matched funding basis.
According to Prisk, the shift away from local services to regionalisation under the present regime has
deprived local agencies of much of the funding and many of the initiatives which have to be taken.
74
The Informed Executive
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