BUSINESS: Getting your voice heard

1:03pm Thursday 19th November 2009

By Hannah Holdroyd, Federation of Small Businesses

Many businesses feel that their voices are not always heard and that they find it hard to engage with those who make decisions on their behalf, at all levels of government.

In fact, there are a number of ways for business owners to get their views across through both formal and informal channels.

Local councils are obliged to consult with residents and businesses when making decisions.

Councils and regional government run a number of consultations through the year on topics as varied as the Crossrail Business Rate Supplement on the regional level, to town planning, for example the Orpington Town Centre Masterplan, on the more local level.

Businesses can respond to these either individually, or via membership of community or other organisations, for example the local chamber of commerce, or the Federation of Small Businesses.

Membership of these types of organisations can be a good way to get your point across informally through their relationship with the council.

Membership of such organisation is a great way to get your thoughts across because of the support of the other members.

One upcoming and very important example of this is the annual budget meetings. Your council is required to consult the business community about their proposed budgets for the following year. These meetings usually take place in January, February and March for the following financial year (in this case 2010-2011).

Although local councils are supposed to talk to you, you may feel that they have not tried to talk to you or you might feel that they have not tried hard enough to let you know when meetings like this will be held.

It is your money they are spending so don’t miss your opportunity to hold them to account.

Of course there is a chance they will be more interested this year. With local council elections coming up in May 2010, they’ll want to secure your vote.

To find out about these meetings, keep an eye out for notifications in local press the council’s website, or contact your local councillor.

At the Federation of Small Businesses London Policy Unit we’ve also been looking forward to the local council elections next year and have been seeking the opinions and thoughts of small business owners in the London boroughs to find out how they really feel about the job their local councillors are doing.

Local councils should work for local businesses but if you don’t feel they are doing a good job, don’t miss out on the chances you get to talk to them.

A good point of call is the local council’s website or contact your councillor directly. Don’t miss out on your chances to get your voice heard.

Hannah is the London policy officer for the Federation of Small Business, the UK’s leading business organisation. She can be contacted on hannah.holdroyd@fsb.org.uk