Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths has backed the Welsh Government’s ‘one stop shop’ service which is part of a £6.5 million scheme aimed at supporting small enterprises around Wales.
The service will see a network of eleven offices set up around the country, one of which will be based in Wrexham at the Redwither Tower on the Industrial Estate.
The creation of a dedicated business support service for small enterprises was one of the recommendations in the Micro Business Report for Wales prepared by an independent organisation, set up by the Welsh Government. The clear priority identified by the Micro Business Report was not only to provide support for smaller businesses, but to simplify the process and make it easily accessible. The report recommends micro businesses should gain both direct and indirect support from the private, public and third sector.
The one stop shops provide small companies with help and advice on a range of subjects to support their sustainable growth. This latest service will complement and work in conjunction with other variants of support provided by the Welsh Government such as the Business Information Helpline and the Business Wales website.
The one stop shop service is delivered by a consortium and the Welsh Government has announced it is to establish a Strategic Board to oversee the delivery of the operation as well as ensuring its continuous development and improvement.
A micro business is an enterprise that employs up to nine people and the report highlights their significance in Wales. Such enterprises account for 94.5% of all businesses in 2011 and responsible for a third of private sector employment.
Commenting, Lesley Griffiths said:
“Micro businesses are a vital, dynamic and integral part of the Welsh economy and have the potential to be a driving force for economic recovery.”
“I am pleased the Welsh Government has invested a significant amount of time and money addressing the issues and I hope the Wrexham one stop shop can offer help, advice and support to our local businesses.”
