East Riding of Yorkshire Council

East Riding Of Yorkshire Council has provided a Business team for over fifteen years, training ex-business people as business advisers, to reach Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI) Gold standard, supporting them to achieve NVQ level 4 qualifications in business advice and support.

We offer New Horizons Networking workshops to offer basic start-up advice in Beverley and Bridlington Business Centres on a rolling weekly programme. In addition to Beverley and Bridlington, the Business Centres located in, Driffield, Market Weighton, Brough and Goole offer pre-start, new start and business growth / relocation information, which is given free. Advisors offer guidance and one to one support throughout the start-up process, with signposting and introductions to other support facilities such as the Princes Trust and local networking groups and loan funds.

The advisor team includes a specialist Farm / Rural advisor and the team have access to other Council departments like Environmental Health, Licensing, Early Years children’s care and Planning / Development Control.
 
The Business service is externally accredited with ‘Customer First’ and is a full member of the National Enterprise Network (NFEA - the first Local Authority to be admitted as a full member). The service received a ‘Beacon Council’ award for ‘Supporting New Business’ in 2006 as one of only four Local Authorities nationally, assessed by the Improvement and Development agency (IDeA), to be offering exceptional work in the Business Support field.