Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Business Gateway E-Bulletin : December 2009
Business Gateway provides expertise in every aspect of business start-up and growth
ranging from, but not limited to:
Business Planning, Recruitment, Exporting, Marketing, Health & Safety,
Online Trading, Sourcing Premises and finding Funding
In this Issue :
1 Local News & Information:
- Outer Hebrides Business Directory – register your details
- Stornoway Townscape Heritage Initiative grants
2 Events & Training:
- Business Skills / Live Hebrides Workshops
3 Other Updates & Useful Links:
- VAT – online returns
- Business Mentoring Scheme
- Commonwealth Games 2014 - Supply Chain
- Management Apprenticeships
- Advice for businesses facing challenges
- Visit Scotland Tourism Growth Fund
- On-line community for the creative industries
- Buy Local for Christmas
- Links
LOCAL NEWS & INFORMATION
Outer Hebrides Business Directory
The Outer Hebrides Business Directory is an online resource which lists business based or operating in the islands. Funded by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Highlands and Islands Enterprise the website offers free listings to local businesses of all sizes and activities. Go to www.businesshebrides.co.uk and you can search by name or business activity – a quick and efficient way of helping customers access your business, if you would like to register or update your details on the Business Directory please contact us on:
01851 707307 businessgateway@cne-siar.gov.uk
Townscape Heritage Initiative
Stornoway Town Centre Property Improvement Grants
Are you a business based in the centre of Stornoway? – if yes then you could be missing out - the Townscape Heritage Initiative will soon be unable to accept new grant applications to help local businesses based in the town centre carry out major works such as repairs to roofs, windows and external finshes. As of May 2010 the grants, offering significant assistance with the renovation of buildings in the town centre, will no longer be available. There are still funds available but businesses need to act quickly to submit an application in time.
The grants can contribute to a whole host of works so make an early enquiry to see if your property is eligible – full guidance will be given with all applications. For further information please contact:
Ian Wilson, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar iwilson@cne-siar.gov.uk 01851 709535
EVENTS & TRAINING
The following business skills training is being delivered free of charge in Stornoway over the next month:
Personal & Business Planning
Tuesday 8th December 3pm to 5:30pm Lews Castle College
Marketing
Thursday 10th December 3pm to 5:30pm Lews Castle College
Resource Planning & Management
Tuesday 15th December 3pm to 5:30pm Lews Castle College
To book your free place or to find out more:
Lews Castle College 01851 70 6000
Business Gateway 01851 707 307 businessgateway@cne-siar.gov.uk
ICT Suppliers Meetings
Live Hebrides have formed a local ICT suppliers group. We are not recommending specific products or suppliers; instead we aim to provide a representative sample which covers the range of suppliers/products available to you. We will be creating an information pack for businesses and you may choose to look at these suppliers or products but this is entirely at your discretion. We just want to make sure you have information of where you can source products/services locally.For more information please contact the Live Hebrides team on: 0800 035 5483 info@livehebrides.com
Coming soon…..
Website Seminars……In January 2010 we will be offering website seminars which will be for small groups who wish to spend time with a web designer. Businesses will be shown the good, the bad and the ugly of website design and will be shown how to create a website plan to get what you need for your business.Live Hebrides Roadshow….…We will be taking our roadshow around the Outer Hebrides in Spring 2010. The roadshow will be an opportunity for businesses and community groups to come along and discuss their ICT requirements and see some new technologies in operation.
If you would like more information on these workshops or to register please get in touch with the Live Hebrides team: Tel: 0800 035 5483 email: info@livehebrides.com
OTHER UPDATES & USEFUL LINKS
VAT Online Returns – Important changes from 1st April 2010
From next year HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will begin phasing out the use of paper VAT returns. As of 1st April 2010 all businesses with an annual turnover of £100,000 (exc. VAT) and all newly registered VAT businesses will be required to file their VAT returns online and make payments electronically.
The Business Gateway team are discussing with HMRC how best to ensure any Outer Hebrides businesses that require support to make the transition to online returns can access local advice and training as necessary. For further information please contact: 01851 707307 businessgateway@cne-siar.gov.uk
or visit http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/vat-online/moving.htm
Remember the rate of VAT returns to 17.5% on 1st January 2010!
Business Mentoring Scheme
Businesses throughout the Highlands and Islands are being offered the chance to benefit from a new mentoring scheme operated by Inverness Chamber of Commerce. The scheme aims to contribute to the improved performance of Highlands & Islands businesses and the economy by assisting and encouraging businesses that are seeking to develop and grow, within the Highlands and Islands, the UK and abroad.
Business Mentoring aims to work principally with developing and growing businesses. The Mentors are experienced business people from a range of sectors and industries with their own unique blend of business and life experience and crucially, each has a burning desire to 'give something back' and support businesses and the economic growth of Scotland. Mentors provide their time on a voluntary basis and the service is provided free to businesses that meet the criteria.
The scheme is looking for suitable applicant businesses and volunteer mentors so if you are interested in finding out more please contact:
mentoring@inverness-chamber.co.uk
or visit
http://www.inverness-chamber.co.uk/Business-Mentoring.aspx
Commonwealth Games – Glasgow 2014 Supply Chain
The successful delivery of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will need a huge number of goods, work and services from firms of all sizes. To help make this part of the delivery as smooth as possible, the Commonwealth Games Business Portal has been created. The portal will provide an opportunity for businesses to find out all the information necessary to compete for contracts related to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Much of the goods, works and services relating to the Games will be sourced through the portal.
Examples of these goods, works and services include everything from reasonably small-scale catering and security contracts to massive construction projects. Companies of all sizes can compete for Games-related contracts. Firms that wish to be considered for Games-related contracts must pre-register their details to create a business readiness profile. This is done through a straightforward, free, online process.
For further information please visit:
www.glasgow2014.com/businessportal or call 0845 272 2014
Management Support for Micro Businesses – Invest in an Apprentice
Management Support for Micro Businesses is designed to help businesses employing less than 10 people to improve their management capacity by taking a new or existing employee of any age through a Modern Apprenticeship in management. Participating businesses will be offered a £2,000 one-off payment.
The funding is available for apprenticeships starting between 1st November 2009 and 31st March 2010, only a set number of applications will be supported on a first-come first-served basis.
Locally Cothrom and Lews Castle College can offer an MA in Management.
Enquiries on the scheme should be directed to Skills Development Scotland:
0800 100 1855 stuart.connacher@scotent.co.uk
Real-help for Businesses in Challenging Times
The Business Link website provides a range of free support to assess the health of your business, find finance, raise productivity, or save money by reducing waste and saving energy. Whether you need to increase cashflow, keep your staff on, improve their skills and flexibility, or simply reduce costs, you can get real help to keep your business fighting fit.
www.businesslink.co.uk/realhelp
www.businesslink.co.uk/healthcheck
VisitScotland Tourism Growth Fund
The VisitScotland Growth Fund is part funded by the European Union and is designed to support tourism groups throughout Scotland in marketing their products and services to maximum potential. The fund is open to national, regional and local groups to help them reach new target markets and increase visitor numbers. To date there have been very few applications from the Outer Hebrides and the fund administrators are keen the islands benefit from the available funding – to find out more please visit the link below:http://www.visitscotland.org/marketing_opportunities_main/growthfund.htm
Central Station
If you are involved in the creative industries you may be interested to check out this newly established online community for art, film and design.
www.thisiscentralstation.com
Buy Local
As we approach the run up to Christmas the Business Gateway team wants to encourage everyone to ‘Buy Local’ during this season of heavy spending. A significant amount of money is spent each year in mainland shops or via the internet and is therefore lost to the local economy.There is a really good range of products and services available across the Outer Hebrides so shop around and have a look at what island-based businesses have to offer.
General Links
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - Business Gateway website
For loan and business advice and information.
www.cne-siar.gov.uk/eds/business.
Business Gateway
Well worth a visit for a range of information, advice and ideas on starting and running a business.
www.bgateway.com
The Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust
Offers start-up and development funding and advice to young people aged between 18 and 30 with a business idea.
www.psybt.org.uk/Regions/WesternIsles
Outer Hebrides Business Directory
The most complete local online listing of businesses and organisations in the Outer Hebrides.
Please contact us if you would like to have your business listed – it FREE!
www.businesshebrides.co.uk
Highlands & Islands Enterprise
Economic Development Agency operating across the region with local offices in Stornoway and Benbecula. A wide range of useful information and links for growing businesses and community organizations.
www.hie.co.uk
Live Hebrides
Offer local businesses and organisations a wide range of knowledge and expertise about the latest IT solutions available to them and the benefits of broadband.
www.livehebrides.com
Outer Hebrides Chamber of Commerce
For information relating to issues facing island businesses, networking and related opportunities.
www.hebrideschamber.com
The Business IT Guide
Operated by e-skills UK and assisted by Highlands & Islands Enterprise offering useful hints and tips on IT solutions for small businesses as they have found that small businesses in the UK are losing millions of pounds from lost revenue due to not being adequately IT literate. Please visit them at:
www.scotland.businessitguide.com
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - 'Socio Economic Update’
Regularly published, contains useful information on the local economy
www.cne-siar.gov.uk/factfile
Creative Industries focus on the arts, crafts film, and television, publishing, and new media sectors if you are operational in this sector the following links are worth a look:
Aim-Hi
An online forum for the Creative Industries sector - please feel free to register your interest and visit the site at http://s4.invisionfree.com/aimhi/.
www.aim-hi.org
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - The Creative Industries
Publishes a periodic newsletter on the website.
www.cne-siar.gov.uk/eds/creativeindustries
If you have any feedback or suggestions for us to make this service more relevant please e-mail your comments to businessgateway@cne-siar.gov.uk.
Remember that we guarantee never to sell or give your e-mail address to anyone else.
Good luck!
The business gateway team
Business Gateway
Development Department
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
James Square
9 James Street
Stornoway
Isle of Lewis
HS1 2QN
Tel: +44 (0)1851 707307
businessgateway@cne-siar.gov.uk
www.cne-siar.gov.uk/eds/business
This information is meant as a starting point only. Whilst all reasonable efforts have been made, the publisher makes no warranties that the information is accurate and up-to-date and will not be responsible for any errors or omissions in the information nor any consequences of any errors or omissions. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate.
