Case studies

The government-backed business support programmes can be of real value to participants. However, the local business community is not always aware of it and gets the most from, the support that is available to them. Bolsover District Council Local businesses were surveyed to better understand the failings of taking up the support available.

The Economic Strategy sets out a clear direction of travel for North Warwickshire, providing a long-term framework to deliver positive, focused interventions to secure a more sustainable economy.

In transforming Middlesbrough’s town centre, there are aspirations for a large-scale urban living offer, which is relatively untested in the urban market.

Lewes District Council adopted a new corporate plan in February 2020, following the declaration of a climate emergency in July 2019. The corporate plan, ‘Reimagining Lewes District’, set out the council’s ambitions to achieve net carbon zero whilst continuing to embed community wealth building principles within the district. This case study sets out how delivery has progressed since.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Exeter City Council and Exeter Chamber of Commerce worked in partnership to launch Exeter Works, an online and physical advice hub to support people in the Greater Exeter area who need advice and guidance on a range of areas related to skills and employment.

Buy Local is a new local business directory developed to be easy to register on and use for businesses and customers alike.

Hampshire County Council’s Construction Skills projects have trained over 2000 people for work in the construction industry, supporting over 1000 of these into employment using its Employment and Skills Plans and local employers with best social value for Hampshire residents.

The Employment and Skills Hub team connect with employers to source both short term and long-term work experience placements and engagement at careers, information advice and guidance events. The Hub also links with construction employers to create Employment and Skills Plans. The ESH has been vital in ensuring coherent employer engagement around incentives for Apprenticeships, Levy transfers, Traineeship bonuses, and the Kickstart Scheme in order to secure physical and virtual work experience-based pathways into businesses for young people in Hampshire.

This case study highlights the work that Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council has undertaken using LG Inform Plus. This includes its approach to business intelligence via the use of the LG Inform Plus API.

Bradford Council commissioned a piece of research on entrepreneurial support for young people in Bradford district, with the aim of understanding what appetite there is amongst them to start their own business or to become self-employed and how support might be best delivered to ensure there is an inclusive, accessible offer for them.