BUSINESS REPORT


BUSINESS REPORT


LEP SUPPORTS TEN PROJECTS WITH FUNDING


Ten projects across the South East Midlands (SEMLEP) area have been awarded funding through SEMLEP’s Local Growth Fund. More good quality commercial space for businesses to


collaborate and grow and developing a local talent pipeline of people to meet the needs of employers are two priority actions highlighted in the emerging Local Industrial Strategy for the South East Midlands, due to be published later in the year. The Local Enterprise Partnership’s role is to enhance


‘THE SOUTH


EAST MIDLANDS IS AN AREA OF


and promote the area’s economic prosperity and help address challenges and constraints faced by businesses. Through their capital investment programme, the Local Growth Fund, SEMLEP invests in projects that improve business productivity, develop local skills in line with employers’ needs and enhance the infrastructure – digital, physical and cultural – to create good quality places where people want to live and work. Successful projects awarded funding include contributing to the


GREAT BUSINESS POTENTIAL’


Board will contribute to delivering our area’s growth ambitions and the variety of projects that were successful in the funding competition shows the huge


opportunity our area creates.” YMCA Milton Keynes, chief executive, Simon Green said: “YMCA Milton Keynes supports young people to belong, contribute and thrive. Our redevelopment project allows us to offer a range of high quality housing options to


delivery of a new YMCA facility in Milton Keynes with affordable housing and employment and training facilities for nearly 200 young people. The funding will support constructing and fitting out a café, nursery and meeting rooms. Peter Horrocks CBE, Chair of SEMLEP said: “The South East Midlands is an area of great business potential. The funding decisions made by the


young people in housing need and creates a number of commercial and social enterprise activities that will help fund our work and provide training and employment opportunities to unemployed young people. SEMLEP’s support through the Local Growth Fund will enable us to help hundreds of young people each year.”


For more information about the Local Growth Fund, please visit www.semlep.com


BRINGING LOCAL BUSINESSES TOGETHER


Milton Keynes Council has launched a ‘Business 2 Business’ engagement pilot to develop supply chain networks between large and small organisations. The pilot project will work with


both small and large organisations in Milton Keynes, to understand the barriers and opportunities with supplying and buying locally, culminating in an event that will bring both groups together to explore procurement opportunities. More than 97% of the 12,400


businesses currently based in Milton Keynes are small (50 employees or less). They’re vital for the health of the local economy and MKC is committed to ensuring MK businesses have the opportunities to grow. The group of small businesses leaders met for the first time in


The group meet with Cllr Moriah Priestly


May, when they heard from MKC’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Cllr Moriah Priestly. She said: “Local businesses are so


important for the MK economy, which is why we wanted to launch


4 inbusiness AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019


this new project as a platform to bring the business community together. As well as sharing knowledge and ideas, we spoke about the challenges and hurdles we have faced and how best to get over


them – it was a worthwhile experience and I’m looking forward to meeting again.”


Visit: www.investmiltonkeynes.co.uk


MILTON KEYNES CHAMBER keeps its members up to date with all the latest business news. Whether it’s through the pages of this magazine, our website or regular email updates, we will always endeavour to keep you in the picture and informed


An artist’s impression of the new YMCA building in Milton Keynes


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