So much has already been written about and commented on regarding the now confirmed demise of Yorkshire Forward (YF) and one of its financial recipients – Business Link Yorkshire (BLY).
I have been asked what my opinion is and I find it difficult to answer. On a personal level, I do know people who are employed at both at YF and BLY. As you would be about any friend you have a concern over their future, their job security and its impact on their home lives they were to lose their jobs which is a real threat for hundreds of people.
On a business level, I think you have to ask -were either organisations any good? I would say that, without doubt, they had their roles to play and delivered on their objectives. But were their objectives clearly defined , clearly ‘announced’ and results measured against them and made public? I think not.
I personally could not quote the main purpose of either organization. I saw them do great things, the effort and support YF supplied to businesses and initiatives across the region was second to none. The availability and support to small businesses from BLY was obvious and frequent. But the doubters were many and the questions that were asked were more often than not about the amount of money YF distributed and to whom and where and did it really deliver on its promise – whatever that promise may have been.
Business Link on the other hand was a sign-posting organization, is that what startup business really needed I was often asked. And the quality of support offered by many of its consultant staff which start up business owners came face to face with was questioned with alarming frequency.
I do think it’s sad that we are losing these two organisations in their current form and I am relieved that it will be a phased exit from 6 months to 18 months depending on who you read or speak to. I do worry about how far the support, especially from YF, once removed will ripple out and how it will affect many, many smaller businesses. But as they now have some warning, hopefully they will be able to use this as a prompt to readdress their fund-based ‘business’ models.
My Homage to YF
My greatest disappointment is actually the fact that we lose a hero brand, Yorkshire Forward. Not Leeds Forward, Doncaster or Sheffield Forward but Yorkshire. An umbrella brand that unites a region and the diversity of populations, business sectors, interests and concerns. I feel as though a Lighthouse organization has had its beacon dimmed and ultimately switched off. I would rather there were European and Worldwide efforts to promote the UK’s largest county than the piece meal approach of city or town centre flag waving. To me that seems a step backwards.
As for the demise of BLY, it was by no means perfect but I feel it could have been improved and made more relevant, with more experienced help available, more instant solutions and an easier to fathom website! However its strength was its accessibility at a local level and I think, that when it becomes some centralised call centre and website (there are two great tendering opportunities if you’re in that sector) it will become distant and unattractive for the ambitious sole trader or would-be entrepreneur.
But all of this simply creates opportunities. Opportunities for the Local Enterprise Partnerships – once we all know what they actually are! And what a great opportunity for private businesses to become the delivery providers for the agendas that will be put in place to support and encourage business and enterprise in this glorious region… where do I sign up?
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I too see great opportunities for more private sector involvement in the delivery of business support. But BLY was ‘private sector’ contracted to government. And is it the ‘contracted to government’ bit that causes the problem. Instead of doing what is right for communities and individuals they learn to do what is right for the Treasury – and these are very different things.
So my advice – find ways to deliver that allow freedom from Govt. And beware the seductive matched funding regimes….
More peer to peer support, more mentoring and coaching between businesses and less dependence on the professional adviser – ‘expertise’ is often not the answer…
The Northern regional development agencies’ primary objective was to reduce the gap in gross vaue added (GVA) between the North and London/SE. In this they failed – in fact (unless things have changed in the past couple of years) the gap got bigger.
Another central objective lay in raising the rate of business start ups – again rates in London/SE remain at around double those in Yorkshire. The LEGI programme has been more effective at delivering this enterprise development work – at that was local authority led rather than regional.
I could go on with YF’s failures – the takeover of YTB that cut out local authorities and ignored the significance of major attractions, the URCs with no cash of their own or control or power, the secrecy, the excessive concentration on South Yorkshire, the frightening bureaucracy…
On the plus side, YF pioneer an urban renaissance approach to renewal – sadly most of their partners didn’d go with them.