Support and Advice for Businesses

Economic Development Framework September 2023

The Economic Development Framework sets out the aspirations of the Council, provides a framework that brings together all economic development activities that are occurring within the District, and considers how they complement each other to maximise the benefits for our residents, businesses and visitors. The document is available in the download panel at the bottom of the page.

New business support in Blaby

Blaby District Council is pleased to announce that businesses across Blaby District now have access to a new, funded, business support programme, the Leicestershire Business Advice Service. The free support, from expert consultants Exemplas, will include everything from start-up workshops to accelerator programmes. One-to-one advice and more will be available to help businesses at all stages of their journey.

The service is a partnership between the seven District Councils in Leicestershire: Blaby District Council, Harborough District Council, Northwest Leicestershire District Council, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, and Melton Borough Council. Each authority has funded the project through their allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Funding.

Exemplas is experienced in delivering business support programmes that help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) develop. The wider benefits encourage communities to thrive, and local economies grow. The service replaces previous EU-funded programmes which have now ended. The Leicestershire Business Advice Service will run until March 2025.

To register for any of the support please follow the link in the external links panel below.

Grow Your Business with Free Grants and Digitalisation Support!

As part of our dedication to local development, we want to help you:

  • Create new jobs or safeguard existing positions
  • Expand your operations and reach new markets
  • Boost your efficiency and competitiveness

Does your business belong to one of these thriving sectors?

  • Manufacturing (for example transport equipment, food and drink)
  • Life sciences
  • Construction
  • Logistics
  • Engineering
  • Technology
  • Creative industries
  • Low carbon

If so, we can help you unlock your growth potential! Please email enterprisingblaby@blaby.gov.uk

Business newsletter

Our business newsletter is emailed regularly and packed with the latest business support information, as well as news of events and workshops happening near you. Sign up to receive this newsletter:

Sign up for updates

Business Hub support request

Our Business Hub is on hand to offer dedicated help and support, especially as we move out of lock down and onto the road to recovery. Our friendly team is on hand and only a call or email away: if we don’t know the answer we promise to find out. 

You can also get in touch by completing the online form below, or you can call Customer Services who will redirect you to a member of the team.

Health and wellbeing support

There are resources available to provide advice and information to help businesses, the self-employed and employees look after their health and wellbeing. Further details can be found in the website links panel below.

The Healthy Workplaces Leicestershire programme helps organisations of all sizes across the county to become healthier places to work.

The tailored programme has been designed in collaboration with, and for Leicestershire businesses, helping to ensure that the support that is most needed by the county's workforce is available to them and their organisations. Further information is in the website link in the panel below.

New Government online support with employee health and disability

The Government's new online service offers free advice to employers, tailored to the needs of smaller businesses.  

The guidance is for employers and managers and will help you support employees and understand any legal requirements. Further information is in the link in the panel below.

Support and advice when starting a business

Starting up and owning a business can be both exciting and daunting, with lots of major decisions to make. Getting the right advice to guide you through this fundamental stage of development is key to the success of your business.

The external links below offer a start-up guide, as well as other useful forums which will help you to be well equipped for the launch of a new business venture.

Better Business for All partnership

Better Business for All is a local partnership between businesses and regulators aimed at removing barriers to growth and ensuring Leicester and Leicestershire are economically competitive areas.

The partnership gives your business a simple, single point of access to free advice on business regulations from those best placed to support you, the regulators themselves. They can provide answers to queries relating to food safety, health and safety, pollution, waste, licensing, taxation, trading standards and fire safety.

You can access this advice by calling 0871 384 3185. Lines are open from 9am-5pm Monday to Thursday and 9am-4.30pm on Fridays.

Complying with regulations can help your business provide a high and competitive standard of product that customers trust and help guard your business against liability. A good understanding of regulation can add value to your business.

As well as ourselves, the scheme is supported by:

  • Leicestershire County Council
  • Leicestershire Fire and Rescue
  • Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce
  • Federation of Small Businesses
  • Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
Choose How You Move

If you own a business and find that some employees are finding it difficult to get to work, Choose How You Move, from Leicestershire County Council, can support your business and employees in adopting active modes of travel to get to and from work.

Initiatives include a free E-bike Loan Scheme. More information can be found on the 'Choose How You Move' website link below.

External links
Downloads
Last updated 4 April 2024
Do you need to get in touch with us? Use our contact form.
A to Z of Council Services