Boost self-employed firms bid

Around one in 20 Monklands residents are self-employed, according to new figures from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

The proportion is 5.08 in Airdrie and 4.82 in Coatbridge, compared to the national average of 6.4 per cent.

FSB Lanarkshire chair Tony Higgins said: “We need to get behind those people and places that want to change their circumstances.”

The organisation has produced a five- point action plan to “boost entrepreneurship in postindustrial Scotland” – including encouraging councils to offer free use of long-vacant properties to business start- ups, and additional social security and income protection using Holyrood’s new powers.

Statistics produced by the organisation for nearly 500 Scottish towns and suburbs show that self-employment statistics for Monklands and the surrounding areas range from a high of 7.92 per cent in Gartcosh to 4.45 per cent in Salsburgh.

Included are proportions of 7.3 per cent selfemployment in Glenmavis, 6.24 per cent in Glenboig, 6.17 per cent in Chapelhall, 5.29 per cent in Calderbank, and 5.02 per cent and 4.9 per cent respectively in Caldercruix and Plains.

Ove ra ll , th e re are now more than 200,000 Scottish people who are self- employed; with the study finding that “smaller, wealthier towns are more likely to have high levels of se l f- employment ; conversely, poorer towns, especially those that used to have a large industrial employer, have much lower levels”.

Mr Higgins said: “Big business and public sector downsizings, alongside new business models powered by digital technology, have resulted in a steady increase in the number of the selfemployed. Our response should be to support those who choose to work for themselves.”