On Friday 14 October Broxbourne Council was named the winner of two Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) awards for its work with local traders during and following the pandemic.
The two awards were for the Future-Ready and All-Round Small Business Friendly categories.
The Future-Ready Award was received in recognition of the Council’s commitment to business growth and development including the release of employment land to accommodate Sunset Studios. The new state-of-the-art film studio will bring with it the creation of more than 4,800 jobs and £300 million annually into the local economy.
With assistance from Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, the Council is also furthering its efforts to grow the business landscape in the Borough by building Theobalds Enterprise Centre, which will serve as a space for innovative high-tech start-up companies.
The All-Round Small Business Friendly award highlights the work of the Council during and after the pandemic to help local businesses recover from the economic effects of the pandemic and adapt to the rapidly changing business landscape. The Council’s support included funding the ShopAppy online marketplace, helping 78 businesses engage with 2,196 users.
In addition, the Council worked with Shield Safety to develop a Safe to Trade Scheme in the Borough. This helped over 250 businesses reduce the transmission of COVID-19 within their business, and promote them as safe places to customers.
Leader of the Council, Councillor Lewis Cocking said: “Our FSB awards shine a bright light on meaningful achievements for the local business community. The pandemic presented many unforeseen challenges, especially for small businesses that without support from the Council would have struggled to stay afloat, Broxbourne is open for business.”
To find out about the latest business opportunities and support provided by Broxbourne Council please visit www.broxbourne.gov.uk/business.