Merton Council won a top accolade at the Small Business Friendly Borough awards last night.
Leader of Merton Council Councillor Stephen Alambritis, Sara Williams from the council’s Future Merton team, London regional chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, Steve Warwick and Future Merton’s Eric Osei
Winning the prize for Best All-Round Small Business Friendly Borough, Merton was recognised for successfully implementing a wide-range of initiatives to support and develop the local small business community. By working with partners including Merton Chamber of Commerce, the council has invested over £2 million in high-quality support programmes including the Merton Business Support Service (MBSS), Merton Business Loan Funds and Wimbletech as well as developing industrial estates and creating the Merton Business Directory.
Organised by the London Region of The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and London Councils, the awards are an opportunity to celebrate projects or initiatives delivered by the London boroughs, which have had a positive impact on London’s small business community.
Leader of Merton Council, Councillor Stephen Alambritis said: “In Merton we’re proud to be home to thousands of dynamic small businesses. The council is committed to supporting businesses in Merton so they can develop, grow and create new jobs. Congratulations to everyone, including our partners, who have worked hard to help small businesses in Merton.”
London Councils’ Executive member for infrastructure and regeneration, Councillor Claire Kober said: “All the entries that we received for this year’s awards demonstrate how councils are working hard across the capital to spur on growth and create jobs by supporting local businesses. From independent retailers and family-run firms to creative start-ups and entrepreneurs, there is a clear commitment to helping small businesses thrive for the benefit of everyone. The winning projects were particularly impressive for their thoughtful and creative approach to promoting and developing small business growth.”
London regional chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, Steve Warwick said: “Small and medium enterprises make up 99 per cent of the businesses in the capital. They are the lifeblood driving the economic heart of London. Anything which councils do that makes life easier for small businesses and provides them with new opportunities to grow and develop must be applauded. The projects recognised today are great examples of how boroughs have listened to the needs of local businesses and worked with them to achieve a positive outcome for themselves and residents.”
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