Business

During this period of economic uncertainty, the Council together with partners are on hand to provide support for local businesses of every size and sector.

• Need individual advice and guidance?
• Need financial support?
• Need cash flow support?
• Need to relocate or downsize premises?
• Need recruitment, redundancy or retraining support?
• Need support to save business costs?
• Need help in paying your business rates bill?
• Need start up business support?
• Need to develop new business contacts?
• Need to develop new business opportunities?
• Local Business Support Events

Need individual advice and guidance?

The Council provides free, one to one individualised business support, to advise on the latest support available and to find out the best solution to your business issue. So whether you have a question about local networking, access to workforce or procurement opportunities and would welcome a visit, then please contact us on 0121 704 6151 or see our latest newsletter.

Business Link also offer free advice on issues such as managing your efficiency and costs, help with your cashflow and access to finance.  Call their Credit Crunch Hotline on 0845 002 0900.

For impartial manufacturing advice, the Manufacturing Advisory Service in the West Midlands (MAS WM) can offer in-company manufacturing reviews, subsidised in-depth project support to resolve complex manufacturing issues and access to technical expertise.  Call 0845 245 0845 or visit their website.

Need financial support?

There are many established and new sources of finance available to businesses, including grants, loans, equity based finance and Business Angel networks.  Organisations who operate locally include Aston Reinvestment Trust and Arrow Fund who provide loans for existing, start up businesses and social enterprises.  For these and other financial support initiatives, please see the ‘Finance for Business’ guide.

The government has launched a package of financial measures that will help enable banks to continue or resume lending to viable businesses with temporary cash flow difficulties.  Schemes include the new Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, open to businesses with a turnover of up to £25 million.  For more information, please see the ‘Real Help Now’ webpage.

For the latest Access to Finance initiatives for businesses, the West Midlands Access to Finance E-Portal is continually updated with information and advice.

Need cash flow support?

HM Revenues and Customs provide a fast track service enabling businesses to speak directly with an advisor to agree an affordable timetable for paying tax, National Insurance and other payments.  Business experiencing temporary cashflow difficulties can call 0845 302 1435 to discuss payment options or visit their website.

Business Debtline is a charity that provides free, confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems and is a part of the Money Advice Trust (MAT) - formed in 1991 to increase the quality and availability of free, independent money advice in the UK.
For more information, please call 0800 197 6026 or visit their website.

Need to relocate or downsize premises?

The Council provide free commercial property searches and information, for premises throughout the Borough and can support you through the entire process of moving your business and your staff.  For more information, please see the Commercial Property webpage.

Need recruitment, redundancy or retraining support?

The Council work with a number of agencies and can help companies recruit locally and minimise the impact of redundancy, with a free and confidential service to meet your company needs.   We work with partners such as Job Centre Plus, who offer a range of services for employers, including recruitment subsidies worth up to £2500 and a Rapid Response service for redundancy situations. For more information, please call 0121 704 6151.

There is also regional advice and guidance for employers and their workforce during the downturn, that includes all the agencies that can provide support, including Job Centre Plus, the Learning and Skills Council and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

Need support to save business costs?

The Council and other organisations run a number of programmes that can help you reduce overheads – including improving your environmental systems to improve efficiency and reduce waste.  For more information in this area, please call 0121 704 6894.

Solihull College also provide support based around company training needs and can provide access to a range of funding streams, including Train to Gain and Apprenticeships.  For more information, please the Solihull College website.

There are also a number of Business Rate ‘Reliefs’ or reductions that may save you money.  For the latest information, or if you are having any problems paying your bill, please call the Council’s Business rates team on 0121 704 8175.

Need start up business support?

The Council offers a free business mentoring and advice service to individuals thinking of starting their own business – an ideal opportunity if you are looking for a career change or are facing unemployment.  For more information, please see the Enterprise for Success webpage.

Need to develop new business contacts?

At this time, it is often the informal contacts that matter to businesses.  The Council run a number of free local networking forums in the areas of North Solihull, Cranmore/Monkspath, Bickenhill/Elmdon and Dicken’s Heath.  They also have links to forums on Blythe Valley and Birmingham Business Parks and can refer to other networking groups in the area.

Solihull also has a group as part of the LinkedIn business networking site - to join, please see their website.

Solihull Chamber of Commerce also are keen to assist local businesses and run a wide range of local events.  For more information, please call 0121 781 7384.

Need to develop new business opportunities?

The Council can advise how to get involved with public sector procurement opportunities and those associated with our North Solihull Regeneration Programme and the London 2012 Olympics.  For more information, please see the London 2012 Opportunities webpage or call 0121 704 6894.

If you are involved in construction, the West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence (WMCCE) can help in bid writing and coaching to win more contracts, sustainability health checks and new product/material development.  Eligible businesses in the West Midlands can benefit from subsidised, or in some cases fully-funded, business improvement services - for more information call 0121 688 4050 or visit their website. 

If you want to break into new markets overseas, UK Trade and Investment can help.  Research shows that new exporters boost their business productivity by up to a third in the first year of exporting.  UKTI can provide access to the free expertise and market intelligence you need to get your business ready to enter new international markets, for more information, please see the UKTI website.

Coventry University also offer support to businesses in areas such as access to staff expertise and student skills, subsidised training, access to funding and exploring new markets at home and abroad.

Local Business Support Events

For the latest business support events held in the local area, please see the Council's Business Events page.