Business and Other Briefings

BISDepartment for Business, Innovation & Skills and Cabinet Office have asked potential suppliers to outline proposals for Growth Voucher programme. The £30m programme will try out a range of new approaches to help small firms grow their business.  This includes new ways of finding & using paid-for external advice likely to have a positive impact on business growth.
 
The deadline for Outline Proposals is 29 May 2013.  If you think your company might be suitable to deliver the programme you can apply to attend an Industry Day on 20 May 2013 at 2pm in the BIS Conference Centre, where you can find out more and ask questions about the programme. Press release & links
 
CLG: A new qualification to train the next generation of high street leaders was launched by the Local Government Minister, Brandon Lewis, last week. The certificate in Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) management has been designed to give students a thorough understanding of the industry so they can breathe new life into their town centres and boost local economies.
 
The certificate is an academic accredited postgraduate short course which covers all key aspects of working within a Business Improvement District environment.  It will be delivered by industry experts & practitioners.
 
The government is also supporting the Love Your Local Market campaign, to celebrate the role markets can play in regenerating high streets and offer budding entrepreneurs the chance to test their business ideas; Love Your Local Market 2013 will take place from 15 - 29 May 2013.
Press release & links
 
CO: The formal introduction of a ‘Cloud First’ policy will drive wider adoption of cloud computing in the public sector, boosting business – and furthering savings & efficiencies – through the government CloudStore, which is a quicker, cheaper & more competitive way for the public sector to buy IT, Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said recently – See ‘In the News’ section for more information.
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