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Liverpool City Region Local
Growth Hub launched to streamline business support
THE Liverpool City Region Local Growth
Hub, a new platform making it easier for businesses in the City Region to
discover the best commercial advice and support to help them grow, has
officially been launched.
Developed by the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in
consultation with business, government, local authorities and support
organisations, the Local Growth Hub is designed to provide a single access point
for businesses across the 6 local authority areas, to discover the right advice
and support they need to flourish.
The new Local Growth Hub web portal localgrowthhub.com, aims to create a joined
up approach to business support by actively engaging SMEs and growth businesses.
By connecting them with over 300 specialist advisors from a wide range of key
professional and commercial disciplines, it will help to drive economic growth
in the City Region.
The new service is supported by eight Local Growth Hub regional brokers who play
a strategic role in signposting and co-ordinating local and national support,
making it easier for businesses to access the face to face advice they need. The
regional brokers are: Liverpool City Region LEP, Liverpool Vision, Halton
Borough Council, Knowsley Chamber of Commerce, The Women's Organisation, Invest
Sefton, St Helens Chamber and Wirral Chamber of Commerce.
Not only will localgrowthhub.com actively enable a business growth mind-set by
delivering a client driven service, it also offers a wealth of other information
for both business and registered advisors including key industry events and live
tender opportunities from SMEs across the region.
Chair of the LEP, Robert Hough, said:- "The launch of the Local Growth Hub
marks a hugely important milestone for business support across our City Region.
We often hear from businesses that the business support landscape is a real
challenge to negotiate; the Local Growth Hub will now provide a support network
to deliver long term economic growth across our region. It has been developed to
serve one function; to help businesses grow. Many businesses simply aren't
aware of the support available to them, and the innovative Local Growth Hub
portal opens the door to opportunity for businesses."
Lesley Martin-Wright, CEO of Knowsley Chamber of Commerce said:- "We are
delighted that the Knowsley Growth Hub has been launched. We can help both
start-ups and established businesses, and provide support and advice that is
free and impartial. Our priority is to help more businesses grow, invest, and
prosper by ensuring that they receive the relevant information, tailored support
and guidance at the right time."
Paula Basnett CEO of Wirral Chamber of Commerce commented:- "Wirral
Chamber is delighted to be the Growth Hub for Wirral, we are enjoying working
closely with our City Region partners in delivering a simple, accessible and
co-ordinated approach to business growth support which meets the needs of our
business leaders."
Tracy Mawson, director of business services at St Helens Chamber of Commerce
commented:- "We are delighted to be delivering the Local Growth Hub for St
Helens. Whether starting a new business, looking for funding, or wanting to
achieve increased competitiveness and growth, we can help businesses to unleash
their potential through the support of the Local Growth Hub."
Councillor Eddie Jones, Executive Borough Member at Halton Borough Council
said:- "I am delighted that Halton Borough Council and Halton Chamber of
Commerce and Enterprise will, in partnership, be delivering the new Local Growth
Hub locally. Together the Chamber and the Council are best placed to understand
and support the local business community to grow and prosper. They are already
the go to organisations for business support and advice locally and so access to
a wider portfolio of local, regional and national business support services
through the Growth Hub can only be a positive thing."
Cllr Ian Maher, Labour Leader for Sefton Council, said:- "I am absolutely
delighted to launch this fantastic service which will help support local
businesses across the city region. Local businesses are very important to the
region's economy and it is vital that support is available to help business
owners overcome challenges they face.
Through offering both online and face to face support this hugely innovative
service will be fully accessible to all owners and will help ensure that
region's businesses can access the help and support they need, when they need
it."
Jo Austin, Engagement and Digital Marketing Coordinator for the Women's
Organisation, said:- "The Women's Organisation have proudly been offering
enterprise support in the Liverpool City Region for 20 years this year. Our
experience over those 20 years has shown us that there is definitely an ongoing
need for businesses to be supported from concept to growth in order to sustain
their enterprises. Our region has a wealth of expertise to offer those
businesses, which makes this a fantastic place to grow an enterprise. We are
delighted to be a part of the growth hub, ensuring that local businesses have
the opportunity to tap into that expert support creating businesses that
thrive."
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