The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has just announced the winners of the Small Business Friendly Awards for the region.
These awards acknowlege the best small business friendly initiatives undertaken by local authorities in the area.
Every council in Dorset entered for the awards and the winners were:
Best All Round Small Business Friendliness - Christchurch Borough Council
Best 'Small Business Friendly' Procurement Policy - Bournemouth Borough Council
Best 'Small Business Friendly' Programme or Campaign - Bournemouth Borough Council
Bournemouth won recognition for provided free workshops to small and micro businesses, to help them apply for public sector contracts. The initiative reached around 600 SMEs.
The 'Bournemouth Face the Dragons' project, which helped to fund start ups, also played a large part in the awards.
Christchurch Borough Council was presented with its award for providing consistent support to businesses. Fast payment of invoices, which helps firms to manage their cash flow, is one of the core qualities that was recognised.
FSB Wessex Regional Chairman, Ken Moon, said: "These awards are an excellent way to say ‘thank you’ to council members and officers who rarely get recognised for the work they doThe FSB looks to the region’s local authorities to help create the environment for small businesses to survive and thrive and we have seen from the nominations that councils have adopted some of the good practise which received awards in 2010".
