North Warwickshire LEADER Project 2015-2020: Survey of businesses
LEADER is a source of European funding that will support the development of rural areas over the period up to 2020. North Warwickshire is bidding to be part of the programme. The essence of LEADER is that rural development is most effective when decided and implemented at local level.
The programme’s focus is to be on delivering jobs and growth in rural areas through:
· Support for micro and small enterprises and farm diversification
· Support for increasing farm productivity
· Support for rural tourism
· Support for increasing forestry productivity
· Provision of rural services
· Support for cultural and heritage activity
LocalEcon Associates have been appointed by the North Warwickshire Local Action Group to complete a LEADER Local Development Strategy and business plan. Part of the work involves a consultation with local businesses to ascertain their constraints and needs in delivering growth and jobs. We will also be looking for projects which could be developed for grant funding if the bid is successful.
Please answer the following questions as fully as possible. All of your responses will be kept confidential and will not be cited in such a way as to attribute them to a particular organisation or individual.
Name(s)/Position:Business name:
Main business activity:
Type of premises: / Home-based Small office Workshop Commercial Unit Retail Unit
Number of people directly involved: / Full-Time Part-Time Casual
Please include family members who work in the business
Address:
Telephone number:
1. What are the main challenges associated with the location of your business?
For example, in terms of access to other businesses, the availability of services; transportation costs; or awareness of what is going on in the local area.
Please write in comments:
2. What do you feel are the strengths of North Warwickshire as a business location?
3. How important are the following for your business:
Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = very important; 2 = important; 3 = fairly important; 4 = unimportant; 5 = very unimportant
High quality office/work space 1 2 3 4 5
Superfast Broadband 1 2 3 4 5
Mobile phone coverage 1 2 3 4 5
Access to business advice 1 2 3 4 5
Access to suppliers 1 2 3 4 5
Access to customers 1 2 3 4 5
Access to potential employees 1 2 3 4 5
Access to other business services (such as finance; marketing) 1 2 3 4 5
Networking opportunities 1 2 3 4 5
Business address 1 2 3 4 5
Training for staff 1 2 3 4 5
4. From the perspective of your business, how good are the following?
Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = very good, 2 = good, 3 = just ok; 4 = limited; 5 = very limited.
The availability of high quality office/ work space 1 2 3 4 5
Access to Superfast broadband 1 2 3 4 5
Mobile phone coverage 1 2 3 4 5
Access to business advice 1 2 3 4 5
Access to suppliers 1 2 3 4 5
Access to customers 1 2 3 4 5
Access to potential employees 1 2 3 4 5
Access to other business services (such as finance; marketing) 1 2 3 4 5
Networking opportunities 1 2 3 4 5
Your business address 1 2 3 4 5
Access to training opportunities for staff 1 2 3 4 5
5. Is there anything you feel is preventing your business from growing and/or creating new jobs?
For example, skills, IT support, access to marketing opportunities or transport.
6. What could be done locally to help you grow your business and/or create new jobs?
7. The LEADER project may be able to make grants to micro/small sized businesses. Do you have any potential project ideas that would help your business?
(Details of the types of projects potentially eligible are detailed on the attached sheet)
If so, please provide details:
8. Is there anything else you would like to add regarding North Warwickshire’s economy?
Many thanks for your assistance
Please return your completed questionnaire to Emma McKay at:
or post to
NWBC, The Council House, South St, Atherstone, CV9 1DE. Alternatively you can complete the survey online at www.northwarks.gov.uk\leader
Examples of potential project areas
The following are examples based on guidance provided by the European Commission and UK government departments. Many other project areas, related to the broad measures listed here may be eligible.
Support for micro and small enterprises and farm diversification
Grants for business start ups.
Construction/establishment of workshops, factories, premises and facilities
Purchase of equipment (not consumables)
Processing and marketing of products.
Support for increasing farm productivity
Investments to support animal health and welfare improvements
Improving the overall performance and sustainability of the agricultural holding
Processing, marketing and/or development of agricultural products
Modernisation or adaption of agriculture and forestry including access to farm and forest land and the supply and saving of energy and water.
Support for rural tourism
Accommodation upgrades – based on an understanding of the market in the local area.
Use of IT and e-booking systems
Support for new shops, catering services, restaurants and cafes or extension of existing services linked to supply chain development
Investments in green infrastructure – cycle ways, paths, and linking this to other offers
Signage and interpretation – linked with local food and drink and the natural/built environment
Visitor attractions and promotion, including product development and interpretation for visitors
Support for events and festivals
Support for increasing forestry productivity
New forestry technologies, processing, mobilising and marketing of products
Supporting the development of wood fuel supply chains & provision of woodland advisory services
Provision of rural services
Plans for the development of municipalities and villages in rural areas and their rural services
Creation, improvement or expansion of all types of small scale infrastructure, including investments in renewable energy
Setting up, improvement or expansion of essential rural services for the local community
Support for cultural and heritage activity
Enhancement, restoration and upgrading of the cultural and natural heritage of villages, and rural landscapes and high nature value sites
Conservation of small scale built heritage
Enhancement of cultural and community activities and investments to enhance venues providing cultural and heritage activity
Support for events linked to cultural activity