EJFW/S5/18BS/3

ECONOMY, JOBS AND FAIR WORK COMMITTEE

BUSINESS SUPPORT INQUIRY

SUBMISSION FROM Moray Council

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RESPONSES FROM BUSINESS GATEWAY MORAY – MORAY COUNCIL

 levels of annual spending on Business Gateway over the last ten years;  Business Gateway service started on 1 April 2009. Funding in Moray was as follows:  Years 2009 to 2016 - £245,000pa  2017 & 2018 £227,000pa (All figures include staff salaries)

 details of mechanisms in place to determine quality assurance;  We have QA measures carried out by BG National via ‘Progressive’ on a regular basis.  We ask delegates on all workshops/events delivered to complete evaluation forms  We ask Moray stakeholders for feedback on a regular basis  We carry out a ‘satisfaction survey’ after Moray Business Week (an annual event since 2015 led by Business Gateway Moray)  We respond to customer questions and enquiries through our Digital Platforms (FB/Twitter)  Quarterly reports on BG Activities and progress towards targets are published transparently on the Moray Council website

 details of any customer feedback received in relation to the Business Gateway services that you offer or wider research about business support in your area; rd  Most of this kind of feedback is gathered through independent 3 parties contracted by BG such as Progressive. Other feedback is either anecdotal from customers of stakeholders including HIE; Moray Chamber of Commerce; FSB; SDS; Moray College UHI; Embrace Elgin(Business Improvement District); Banks and accountants; or via email to the advisers concerned.

 details about the delivery of business support services, particularly:  whether outsourcing or in-house is the approach taken to providing Business Gateway services;  any changes to the delivery mechanism over the last ten years and the rationale for this change, and;  details of any other services offered to businesses, especially SMEs and start- ups, by your local authority.

This overview should cover all questions in this section:

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Business Gateway Moray – Operational and Strategic services supporting Moray Businesses BG services in Moray - now a fully integrated ‘in-house’ Moray Council Service since June 2016 – a change which has enhanced operational delivery. BG Moray has had a service level agreement (SLA) with the Highland Council to deliver certain aspects of the service since its establishment in 2009. In June 2016 staff was transferred from employment with Highland Opportunity Ltd (an arm’s length company of the Highland Council) to the Highland Council and Moray Council respectively. A savings in management was made when the company was closed.

Services are delivered as follows:  Manage BG compliance, budget monitoring and performance management  Work with national Business Gateway services and local partners to ensure Business Gateway services are fit for purpose and meet the needs of Moray businesses.  Develop and maintain relationships with local stakeholders to constantly review the Business Gateway services offered and ensure an integrated consistent approach to business support is delivered businesses in Moray, efficiently and cost effectively  Seek economies of scale implementing an SLA with Highland Council to secure ERDF funding to develop and execute a Local Growth Accelerator Programme (LGAP) which has helped support SME’s with growth aspirations to meet their objectives.  Manage operational budgets as part of Economic Development to ensure the most efficient and effective use of resources.  Deliver ‘other’ local business events (both stand alone and stakeholder collaborations). BG founded and remains the lead partner in delivering Moray Business Week – (now in its 4th year).  Developed a Supplier Development Programme locally which included a Public Contracts Scotland/ PCSTender Pilot approved at Scottish Government level to prepare and encourage Moray SME’s to tender for Public Sector contracts.  Liaise with Account Managers in HIE to facilitate the nationally agreed referral processes of BG clients with growth aspirations moving into Growth Pipeline and thereafter HIE Account Management.  Identify and develop new initiatives and sources of funding where possible working with all major banks, micro-finance lenders, Business Loans Scotland (BLS), Social Investment Scotland, crowd funders, LEADER and others to enhance access to these resources for all Moray businesses  Plan with the BG Service Manager, local BG marketing & PR activity to ensure Moray businesses continue to be aware of BG services as well as that of our stakeholder partners. This fosters a joined up approach to business support in the area. We also create digital marketing content for our Moray Facebook and Twitter accounts  Provide access to finance / investor ready advice to growing businesses and administer the Business Loan Scotland Fund.

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 Support young entrepreneurs by providing a first stop service for the Prince’s Trust in Moray and supporting young people to pitch for funding via Young Edge (Scottish Edge Competition)

Support for businesses from other Moray Council departments/projects:  Regulatory Services: To ensure a ‘whole picture’ approach is taken to Economic Development, this support comes from: Environmental Health, Trading Standards, Planning, Building Standards, Estates and Licencing – this enables new and existing businesses to access a ‘one stop shop’ scenario.  Elgin Business Improvement District offering support to town centre businesses which is part funded by Moray Council  Elgin Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme 2013-2018 (The main focus of the scheme has been restoring and enhancing the built heritage of Elgin High Street).  MoraySpeyside Tourism part funded by Moray Council promote Moray Speyside as a visitor destination and supports business in the visitor economy.  Moray Economic Partnership. Moray Council also leads on the Moray Economic Partnership which oversees the implementation of the Moray Economic Strategy (diversification of the economy including business support)  Castle to Cathedral to Cashmere Heritage Experience;  New Moray Growth Deal being developed with a decision on funding from the Scottish Government and UK Government expected around November 2018.

Moray/Highland Council Partnership Board – SLA – delivering best practice across Moray The BG service in Moray is overseen by a joint board with responsibilities as follows:  Each Council has one elected Member (in Moray this is the Chair of the Economic Development and Infrastructure Services Committee) with a named substitute to represent it on the Board.  Meet regularly to monitor performance management based on quarterly reports from BG Moray  Monitor delivery against National Core Services and Minimum Standards.  Monitor BG delivery against the actions identified in the Moray Local Development Plan and any economic priorities arising during any year  The Partnership Board monitor quality assurance of the BG service

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