The
FSBcelebrates its 40th anniversary next year, and it is bringing together senior political leaders, business leaders, entrepreneurs and international experts for the very first time.
It will focus on the role that small businesses and Government should play to foster a culture of entrepreneurship in young people and develop enterprise policy to ensure it delivers economic growth.
“We are having a policy day that enables the
FSBto really get to grips with major issues that our members are concerned about and to attract senior politicians for a full day’s debate on those issues,” explains Mike Cherry,
FSBpolicy chairman.
“I have been keen to put this in place for three or four years.
“We have an extremely good line up, with senior Cabinet Members, Chuka Umunna and Matthew Hancock coming along. We are focusing on enterprise policy, which is why we brought out our Enterprise 2050 paper, which is beginning to attract significant attention.
“We want to try and look at what enterprise needs from government in the medium and long term.
“We looked at support for small business in the US. They have had a Small Business Administration for around 60 years. Could that work over here?”
Cherry says he is delighted that Karen Mills, former administrator of the US Small Business Administration, is flying over especially for the conference and will be contributing.
“She made the US SBA into a formidable force, and was appointed by President Obama into his Cabinet,” he explains.
“Also coming is a senior representative from the new British Business Bank which is fast developing its plans, and some of the UK’s best entrepreneurs from across different sectors, regions and of all ages.”
Cherry hopes that the US model of long-term, focused support for small business will impress our political class.
“We want an end to many of the short-term initiatives that politicians like to put in place, which cause confusion among small businesses,” he says.
“The policy day will also focus on issues around young people and skills and education.
“How can we make sure that vocational training is recognised as equal to academia?
“We need to make sure our young people can be helped in schools with good careers advice.
“And make sure that business engages better with schools and HE and FE, which has been an issue for very many years.
“We thought it was time these issues are given an airing from a small business perspective.”
The 200,000
FSBmembers and non-members alike will be able to follow proceedings at the policy conference online as it will be live streamed on the day.
“This is the first time the
FSBhas been able to take this agenda forwards in this way, and stimulate some very interesting debates,” says Cherry.
“We will be addressing really meaty subjects which should stimulate the politicians and point towards solutions – and hopefully this will be reflected in their portfolios and when they come to write their election manifestos.”
Cherry says while Government and the Opposition agree small businesses are key to achieving balanced economic growth and increasing private sector job creation, they should make further efforts in a range of policy areas.
These include improving access to finance, encouraging exports, raising investment and innovation, consolidating business support schemes and – a key issue for
FSBmembers across the country - reforming business rates.
In this year’s Autumn Statement, the Chancellor pledged an extension to increased Small Business Rate Relief, which at a stroke prevented a tax increase for thousands of small firms.
“That was a key demand of the
FSB, which we welcomed. But we want it put in place more permanently and we need to see a pledge for fundamental root-and-branch reform of the system as it is clearly not fit-for-purpose. It comes back to this initiative thing of only being available for one year or whatever,” says Cherry.
“There is such unfairness in the system, it is in no way related to ability to pay and it stymies growth and job creation in the way it is levied,” says Cherry.
“It is a subjective and unfair tax. Larger business should be paying a bigger share of that. Politicians of all parties are really still tinkering around the edges - we want total reform in the 2015 manifestos.”
Food for thought for Ministers and Opposition spokespeople ahead of next month’s policy conference.