Cobweb 'Unplugged' - Government policy

Report questions the use of mentors in business support (20 Feb 2012)
A Government-commissioned report has concluded that volunteer mentoring from successful entrepreneurs is 'not to be relied on' as a core source of advice...
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Firms say new business support provision is 'inadequate' (06 Feb 2012)
A new poll from the Forum of Private Business (FPB) reveals that only one in ten of its members believe that the new Business Link website will provide them with cost-effective support, while one in five believe it will not...
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Professionals question the thinking behind 'Business In You' (30 Jan 2012)
The Government's latest web-based initiative to support and encourage start ups was launched by David Cameron last week. The Business In You website has been set up by the Department for Business (BIS) to highlight support for start-ups and growing businesses and encourage entrepreneurial spirit in 2012...
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Nightmares and sugar-coated enterprise (26 Jan 2012)
Currently large numbers of business owners are finding trading conditions very tough with many looking to get out of business and return to employment, while many others are scaling down their enterprise and seeking part-time work to supplement their income. At the same time Government are encouraging more people to start up in business with the launch of a new campaign...
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The enterprise graveyard - Part 2 (12 Jan 2012)
Our lead article last week presented a rather controversial argument which raised questions about 2012 being held up by Government and others as the 'year for enterprise', and whether it makes sense to encourage more start ups, especially now there is so little genuine local business support available...
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2012 and the enterprise graveyard (05 Jan 2012)
Is it right to encourage the start up of more hairdressers, shops and freelancers to add to the struggling hairdressers, shops and freelancers who are already scraping the barrel in terms of finding demand from customers with spare disposable income for their already widely available products and services - especially following the near wipeout of practical, face-to-face support?...
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More than £1 billion of unallocated ERDF funds at risk, new report claims (13 Dec 2011)
English regions stand to lose out on more than £1 billion of European funding as a result of closure of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) which have previously handled European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) allocations, according to a report from the Industrial Communities Alliance (ICA)...
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Minister rejects call for new 'micro business' category (28 Nov 2011)
A cross-party group of MPs has called on the Government to create a new official category for firms with up to five employees, arguing that current definitions leave many of the UK's smallest firms burdened with policies designed for larger organisations...
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Another mentor recruitment drive launched (21 Nov 2011)
The Department for Business (BIS) has issued a call for another 10,000 volunteer business mentors to join the controversial Mentorsme initiative, pledging £1.2 million to train them...
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Business support in 2012 (13 Oct 2011)
As we move closer to 25 November, the official execution date for England's regional Business Link services it is perhaps worth taking a pause and looking at what is or appears to be happening after the closure of the much-criticised (and not infrequently praised) national face-to-face business advice service next month...
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TODAY: 23 February 2012