Wishaw Press

Help businesses to get off ground plea

Start-up figures need to improve say group

- Ross Thomson

A business group has called on the leadership of North Lanarkshir­e Council to encourage business start- ups and make the area one of Scotland’s entreprene­urial hotspots.

Launching its manifesto ahead of the May 4 council polls, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) believes North Lanarkshir­e’s incoming administra­tion must pledge to increase business startup figures.

Statistics collated by the Improvemen­t Service North Lanarkshir­e’s self- employment rate is 5.4 per cent - lower than the Scottish average.

Tony Higgins, chairman of FSB in Lanarkshir­e, said: “The council budget is under significan­t pressure.

“That’s why it is important that they squeeze every drop of value out of their spending power by targeting it on their local economy.

“North Lanarkshir­e’s start-up figures and self-employment rate are lower than Scotland’s average, so it is important for the council to look at the barriers to establish a business in the area.

 ??  ?? Tony Higgins The chairman of Federation of Small Buisnesses
Tony Higgins The chairman of Federation of Small Buisnesses

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