The Government Has Increased Business Rates And Reduced Relief Rates Making It Hard For Businesses. But As A Council We Will Do What We Can To Support Our Businesses.

Councillor Graham Williamson, Cabinet Lead for Development and Regeneration today writes in the Havering Daily on how Havering Council can support businesses as they struggle with government increase business rates.

We do know it is tough out there and everybody is suffering in the current economic conditions. I talk to businesses all the time and hear directly from them some of the issues they are facing. On top of this the Government has increased business rates and reduced rate relief. This is not the council. However, it is our job to collect the money of which we only get around 30 percent with the rest going to the Government and the GLA.

However, we do want our businesses to be successful in the borough and I know it will be positive growth that will help us all. As a council we will do all we can to support this.

For example, we are in the process of forming a Hornchurch Business Improvement District (BID) to join the ones we have in Rainham and Romford. The BID will focus on improving the trading environment, work to increase footfall, boost security and enhance the overall appeal of the areas. This will include organising events, marketing campaigns and providing additional services that benefit businesses and attract more visitors.

We are already running the ‘Keep it Local’ campaign, as part of the broader ‘Where We Live’ campaign to encourage Havering residents to support their local shops and businesses.

It asks residents to think local before they go shopping, go out for entertainment or even before they book a tradesperson. We are supporting businesses with this campaign by helping them to promote everything Havering has to offer through our newsletters and social media. We will also be holding events throughout the year to encourage businesses from all areas of the borough to come together and share ideas while promoting their services to the public. Our first business showcase took place in Romford last month.

We have also once again launched, the Havering Small Business Awards to recognise and celebrate the achievements of local businesses. These awards not only provide recognition for businesses but this year, includes an advertising package prize for the overall winner, courtesy of JCDecaux UK to help further increase visibility and attract more customers.

In addition, the Council has been proactive in offering various forms of support to businesses, including grants, training programmes and advisory services. These resources are designed to help businesses navigate challenges, improve their operations and ultimately thrive in a competitive environment. We share all of these via our Business Briefing e-newsletter, which businesses can sign up to here to join the 9,000 businesses already on our mailing list. Havering’s Mayor has also run in his term two Business Engagement events to share knowledge and business tips. We regularly engage with Business groups such as Havering Chamber of Commerce.

While the challenges faced by businesses are real, it’s clear that we are committed to providing substantial support to them. These efforts are crucial in ensuring that local businesses not only survive but also prosper in the long term.

If any business has specific concerns or suggestions we welcome their participation in local business forums to voice your opinions and collaborate together on the solutions.

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